Don Lemon Arrested After Anti-ICE Protest Disrupts Church Service in Minnesota

Former CNN anchor and independent journalist Don Lemon has been arrested and is facing federal charges following an anti-immigration enforcement protest that disrupted a church service in St. Paul, Minnesota.

Lemon, 59, was taken into custody on Thursday by federal agents, according to his lawyer, Abbe Lowell. The arrest followed an incident on January 18, when Lemon entered Cities Church in St. Paul alongside a group of anti-ICE protesters who alleged that one of the church’s pastors is an officer with U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE).

Charges and Government Response

A spokesperson for the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) said Lemon is being charged with conspiracy to deprive rights and violation of the Freedom of Access to Clinic Entrances (FACE) Act, which also prohibits obstruction of access to houses of worship.

U.S. Attorney General Pam Bondi confirmed the arrest in a statement, describing the protest as a “coordinated attack” on the church. She said three others were also arrested in connection with the incident: local journalist Georgia Fort and activists Trahem Jeen Crews and Jamael Lydell Lundy.

FBI Director Kash Patel said the arrests were carried out jointly by the FBI and DHS following an investigation into the disruption of the church service.

Lemon’s Defence

In a statement posted on his Instagram page, Lemon rejected the allegations, insisting that he was acting purely in his capacity as a journalist.

“Once the protest started in the church, we did an act of journalism, which was to report on it,” Lemon said in a video following his arrest.

His lawyer, Abbe Lowell, described the charges as an unprecedented attack on press freedom and the First Amendment.

“Don has been a journalist for 30 years, and his constitutionally protected work in Minneapolis was no different from what he has always done,” Lowell said, adding that Lemon would “fight these charges vigorously and thoroughly in court.”

Lowell also disclosed that Lemon was arrested in Los Angeles while covering the Grammy Awards.

Background of the Protest

Footage from the incident shows Lemon live-streaming with protesters before entering the church. The demonstrators chanted slogans demanding justice for Renee Good, a U.S. citizen who was fatally shot during a confrontation with an ICE officer in Minneapolis earlier in January.

The situation inside the church became chaotic as protesters and congregants shouted at one another. Lemon repeatedly stated during the broadcast that he was present as a journalist and not an organiser of the protest.

The church’s pastor condemned the disruption, calling it “unacceptable” and “shameful.”

Legal Developments and Reactions

A magistrate judge initially declined to approve charges against Lemon, though prosecutors later sought to pursue the case through a federal grand jury. Lemon is expected to appear in court as legal proceedings continue.

CNN, Lemon’s former employer, described the arrest as raising “profoundly concerning questions about press freedom and the First Amendment,” adding that it would monitor the case closely.

Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass also criticised the arrest, calling it “shocking and alarming.”

The White House, however, appeared to welcome the development, posting an image of Lemon on its official social media account with a caption referencing his surname.

Wider Concerns Over Press Freedom

The incident has sparked renewed debate over press freedom in the United States, coming shortly after another case in which the FBI searched the home of a Washington Post reporter over an alleged leak of classified information.

Protests have continued in Minnesota amid heightened tensions surrounding federal immigration enforcement operations, which have already resulted in deadly confrontations.

As the case unfolds, it is expected to test the boundaries between journalistic activity, protest coverage, and federal law governing access to places of worship.