Former CNN anchor Don Lemon will not face immediate criminal charges after a Minnesota federal magistrate judge on Thursday declined to authorize a complaint related to a protest that disrupted a service at Cities Church in St. Paul.
Multiple sources, including Fox News reporter Bill Melugin, say the Minnesota federal magistrate who declined to authorize an arrest warrant for Lemon is Douglas L. Micko, whose wife works as an assistant attorney general in Minnesota Attorney General Keith Ellison’s office—a detail that has drawn attention amid the ongoing investigation.
The magistrate reportedly refused to approve charges against Lemon, citing deficiencies in the DOJ’s initial complaint.
While several sources name Micko as making the decision, it has not been officially confirmed as of Thursday afternoon.
The protest itself occurred Sunday, when anti-ICE demonstrators entered the church sanctuary mid-service, chanting slogans and confronting attendees.
Eyewitnesses reported that children were visibly frightened and several adults felt intimidated. Cities Church leaders condemned the disruption, saying worshippers were forced to leave the sanctuary during the incident.
Lemon livestreamed portions of the protest, capturing congregants leaving the service, including children who were visibly distressed.
Sources say the decision frustrated senior DOJ officials, including Attorney General Pam Bondi, who has been in Minnesota to oversee the federal response and deploy additional prosecutorial and law enforcement resources, CBS News reported.
Legal experts noted that magistrates rarely reject complaints at this stage, highlighting the delicate balance between press freedoms and potential criminal exposure.
Lemon maintains that his presence at the church was strictly journalistic.
In social media posts following the event, he stated he and his crew were documenting the protest and reporting on both demonstrators and congregants once the disruption began.
“Once the protest started in the church we did an act of journalism which was report on it and talk to the people involved,” Lemon said, adding that he had no affiliation with the organizers.
While Lemon’s complaint was rejected, federal authorities proceeded with arrests of other participants.
Civil rights attorney Nekima Levy Armstrong and St. Paul School Board member Chauntyll Louisa Allen were taken into custody on charges including conspiracy to interfere with constitutionally protected rights under 18 U.S.C. § 241 and alleged violations of the FACE Act, which prohibits obstructing or intimidating individuals at places of worship.
Armstrong, a former Minneapolis NAACP president, is accused of organizing the demonstration, which participants referred to as “Operation Pull Up.”
Statements she made prior to her arrest described the protest as a coordinated effort targeting institutions she claimed were connected to federal immigration enforcement.
Allen, who chairs the St. Paul School Board’s Afrocentric School/Program Work Group and serves on Sustainability and Equity Committees, faces similar federal allegations.
Eyewitnesses reported that protesters entered during the sermon, shouting slogans and confronting congregants.
Several attendees described feeling intimidated, with children becoming frightened, while church leaders condemned the disruption, stating worship was interrupted and congregants were forced to leave.
The case has sparked wider discussion about the limits of protest and the role of journalism in politically charged demonstrations.
Legal analysts note that the magistrate’s refusal to approve charges against Lemon underscores the challenge of distinguishing reporting from participation, particularly when First Amendment protections are implicated.
Federal authorities emphasize that the arrests of Armstrong and Allen reflect a commitment to protecting religious freedoms while enforcing federal law.
Lemon’s status remains under review, with prosecutors exploring whether additional charges may be warranted as the investigation continues.
