Don Lemon Arrested, Indicted on Charges Stemming from Anti-ICE Protest
The arrest of journalist Don Lemon in Los Angeles on Friday has ignited a national debate over press freedom and the limits of protest, raising concerns about the potential chilling effect on investigative reporting. Lemon and eight co-defendants face federal charges related to a exhibition at St. Paul’s Cities Church in Minnesota, where they allegedly disrupted a service after learning one of the pastors was an ICE official.
A grand jury empaneled Thursday returned an indictment accusing Lemon and the others of conspiracy against religious freedom and interfering with the exercise of religious rights, according to sources familiar with the matter. The FBI and Homeland security Investigations were involved in the overnight arrest. Lemon appeared in federal court in Los Angeles Friday afternoon and was released on his own recognizance, without posting bond.
The charges stem from an incident on January 18th, when demonstrators entered the church, allegedly “oppressing, threatening, and intimidating” congregants and pastors. Prosecutors allege Lemon and two co-defendants “largely surrounded” the pastor in an attempt to intimidate him, and ignored requests to leave the premises. At one point, Lemon allegedly “conf
according to court documents, the events leading to the protest began on January 17th, when two defendants posted plans on social media, withholding the location. the following morning, Lemon and the group gathered in a grocery store parking lot, where some “provided instruction” on how to proceed at the church. During this gathering, Lemon livestreamed to his social media channel, describing the operation as a “resistance” against federal immigration policies. He reportedly took steps to maintain secrecy, reminding co-conspirators not to disclose the target and briefly stepping away to avoid inadvertently revealing details on the livestream.
U.S. Attorney General Pam Bondi announced the arrests of Lemon and three co-defendants – Jamael Lydell Lundy, Trahern Jeen Crews, and Georgia ellyse Fort – via social media Friday morning. Lundy, Fort, and Crews were released on personal recognizance bonds after initial appearances in Minnesota federal court. At least seven of the nine co-defendants have now been arrested, including Nekima Levy Armstrong, former president of the Twin Cities chapter of the NAACP, and Chauntyll Louisa Allen, a member of the St. Paul school Board, along with William Kelly.
CNN, Lemon’s former employer, released a statement expressing “profoundly concerning questions about press freedom and the First Amendment.” the network noted that the Justice Department had previously failed to secure arrest warrants for Lemon and other journalists in connection with the protest, with a Minnesota federal judge finding “no evidence” of criminal behavior.
The Justice Department’s pursuit of the case has been met with internal resistance, according to sources. Federal prosecutors in Minneapolis initially expressed concerns about the strength of the evidence, leading to the assignment of lawyers from the Civil Rights Division in washington to handle the proceedings. A magistrate judge previously rejected five arrest warrants, including Lemon’s, citing a lack of probable cause.
the Justice Department is currently scrutinizing video footage of the pre-protest meeting filmed by Lemon, focusing on it as potential evidence of a conspiracy to interfere with religious rights. However, sources indicate Lemon was filming the meeting as part of his journalistic reporting.
“Although Lemon’s factual assertions and DOJ’s justifications must be tested in court, this case could set a perilous precedent for charging reporters who cover protests for the conduct of the protesters if there was any prior communications with the protesters, and could even expose American journalists embedded with the U.S. military to being charged with war crimes along with soldiers who may commit such crimes,” said Julius Nam, a former federal prosecutor specializing in civil rights cases.
Lemon, who was fired from CNN in 2023, briefly launched “The Don Lemon Show” on X (formerly Twitter) before the partnership ended after an interview with elon Musk.He currently hosts a show on YouTube. Lemon is scheduled to appear for a hearing on February 9th in federal court in Minneapolis. The case is expected to draw significant attention as it unfolds, possibly setting a crucial precedent for the relationship between journalism, protest, and the First Amendment in the United States.
