Former CNN anchor Don Lemon was arrested Friday night in Los Angeles over a protest that disrupted a church service in St. Paul, Minnesota, on January 18. He was released on his own recognizance after appearing in federal court and did not enter a plea.
“Last night, the DOJ sent a team of federal agents to arrest me in the middle of the night for something I’ve been doing for the last 30 years—covering the news,” Lemon said. “The First Amendment protects that work. I will not be silenced.”
Lemon and eight co-defendants are charged under the Freedom of Access to Clinic Entrances and Places of Religious Worship (FACE) Act, which makes it illegal to block or disrupt religious services. Authorities say the group targeted Cities Church after learning one of its pastors worked for Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE).
Prosecutors claim Lemon and others “oppressed, threatened, and intimidated” churchgoers and pastors. Lemon, who livestreamed parts of the protest, said he was reporting as a journalist, not joining the demonstration.
His lawyer, Abbe Lowell, called the arrest “an unprecedented attack on the First Amendment” and said Lemon will fight the charges.
Three others were also arrested: Georgia Ellyse Fort, an independent journalist; Trahern Jeen Crews, a Black Lives Matter Minnesota leader; and activist Jamael Lydell Lundy. All were released on personal recognizance bonds.
U.S. Attorney General Pam Bondi described the arrests as part of a “coordinated attack on Cities Church.” Lemon and Fort insist they were only reporting. Fort livestreamed agents arriving at her home, saying, “My children are here, they’re impacted by this.”
The case has drawn national attention. CNN called the arrests “profoundly concerning,” while Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass called Lemon’s detention “shocking” and “alarming.”
Lemon, who left CNN in 2023 after 17 years, now hosts a YouTube show. His next court hearing is scheduled for February 9 in Minneapolis. He must avoid contact with co-defendants and certain witnesses and get court approval for international travel.