Former CNN anchor Don Lemon was taken into custody by federal agents in Los Angeles, ending weeks of legal wrangling over his involvement in a protest at a Minnesota church, according to multiple law enforcement sources.
The arrest stems from a Jan. 18 demonstration at Cities Church in St. Paul, during which anti-ICE protesters entered a service, which Lemon was livestreaming.
U.S. Attorney General Pam Bondi confirmed the arrest Friday morning.
“At my direction, early this morning federal agents arrested Don Lemon, Trahern Jeen Crews, Georgia Fort, and Jamael Lydell Lundy, in connection with the coordinated attack on Cities Church in St. Paul, Minnesota,” she wrote on X.
Lemon’s attorney, Abbe Lowell, said he was taken into custody while covering the Grammy Awards in Los Angeles.
She described the arrest as the culmination of a weeks-long Justice Department investigation into the church protest.
Federal authorities charged Lemon and the others with conspiracy to deprive rights and interfering with First Amendment rights, according to the New York Post.
Lemon, who left CNN and now reports independently, has maintained that he attended the demonstration solely in a journalistic capacity.
His legal team argues that livestreaming and reporting are protected under the First Amendment, which safeguards press freedom.
Resist the Mainstream previously reported that a Minnesota federal magistrate judge declined to approve charges against Lemon, citing insufficient probable cause.
The decision came after three other demonstrators involved in the church protest were arrested and charged with conspiracy and violations under the FACE Act.
Following the magistrate’s ruling, federal prosecutors appealed to a U.S. appellate court.
The panel declined to order the issuance of arrest warrants, noting procedural deficiencies, although one judge acknowledged probable cause might exist for certain charges.
Despite these setbacks, federal authorities renewed their efforts, culminating in Lemon’s arrest in Los Angeles.
Investigators from the FBI and Homeland Security Investigations carried out the detention, EEW Magazine Online reported.
The protest began when demonstrators entered Cities Church, chanting and confronting congregants and the pastor.
Organizers said they aimed to highlight the pastor’s alleged federal connections, while church leaders called the intrusion a violation of worship services.
The case has reignited debate over press freedom and the scope of federal statutes governing protests in religious settings.
Supporters argue Lemon’s reporting was lawful, noting that journalists often embed with demonstrators to provide real-time coverage.
Critics contend that documenting and embedding with protesters could constitute participation in unlawful activity, potentially exposing reporters to legal risk.
Lemon’s legal team has pledged a vigorous defense.
Legal analysts say the case illustrates the complex intersection of journalism, protest activity, and federal criminal law, raising broader questions about how reporters may cover politically charged demonstrations without crossing legal boundaries or violating federal statutes.
As proceedings continue, the case is expected to draw scrutiny from civil liberties organizations, media watchdogs, and legal experts, highlighting tensions between protecting religious services, upholding federal laws, and safeguarding press freedoms in contentious protest situations.
