Federal authorities arrested journalist Don Lemon and three other individuals on Friday in connection with a protest that disrupted a service at the Cities Church in St. Paul, Minnesota, on January 18. The protest was aimed at immigration enforcement policies and has aggravated the relationship between local residents and the federal government under the Trump administration, according to officials involved.
Lemon, who has been active in journalism for three decades, was taken into custody in Los Angeles by federal agents while he was covering the Grammy Awards, as stated by his attorney Abbe Lowell. The specific charges against Lemon and the others related to the protest have not been made public. Previously, a magistrate judge declined the prosecution's request to indict Lemon concerning the events at the church.
Since his separation from CNN in 2023, Lemon has pursued independent journalism, frequently broadcasting on platforms such as YouTube. During his coverage of the protest, Lemon emphasized that his presence was solely as a journalist documenting the event, and he openly expressed his opposition to former President Trump. He was transparent in his reporting from the scene, interviewing those attending the church and those demonstrating.
"Don has been a journalist for 30 years, and his constitutionally protected work in Minneapolis was no different than what he has always done," Lowell declared in a statement. "The First Amendment exists to protect journalists whose role it is to shine light on the truth and hold those in power accountable."
On Friday morning, Attorney General Pam Bondi publicly announced the arrests of Lemon, along with Trahern Jeen Crews, Georgia Fort, and Jamael Lydell Lundy, citing their involvement in what she described as a "coordinated attack" on the church. The Cities Church is noted to have a pastor who is also a local official with U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE).
Independent journalist Georgia Fort, who was livestreaming the moments leading up to her arrest, shared through Facebook Live that federal agents arrived at her residence with an arrest warrant and a grand jury indictment. She expressed concern about her First Amendment rights, noting the implications of being charged for covering the protest.
Authorities have accused some individuals involved in the protest of civil rights violations due to their role in disrupting the church service, where demonstrators chanted against ICE and called for justice for Renee Good, a mother of three who was fatally shot by an ICE officer in Minneapolis. The Department of Justice has launched a civil rights probe into the incident at the church, underscoring a firm federal response to attacks on places of worship.
The church in question is affiliated with the Southern Baptist Convention and includes David Easterwood among its pastors, who simultaneously leads an ICE field office. It is common for pastors in Baptist churches to hold additional occupational roles.
This swift federal response to the disruption contrasts sharply with previous Justice Department decisions not to open civil rights investigations into the deaths of Renee Good and another protester, Alex Pretti, who were killed by federal officers during separate incidents. Lemon's attorney has criticized the government's focus, arguing resources are being directed toward prosecuting protesters and journalists rather than investigating the actions of federal officers.
In the aftermath of the first unsuccessful attempt to charge him, Lemon expressed his determination to continue his journalistic efforts despite legal challenges, asserting that attempts to silence him would not diminish his voice or commitment to covering events critically.