St. Paul: Don Lemon Arrested in Church Protest

St. Paul, Minnesota (trfnews.i234.me) — Federal agents arrested former CNN anchor Don Lemon in Los Angeles on Friday, Jan. 30, officials said.

Authorities say the arrest is tied to a protest at Cities Church in St. Paul on Jan. 18. Lemon livestreamed parts of the incident. He said he was there to report.

What authorities allege

A Justice Department official said Lemon faces a civil rights conspiracy charge. The official also cited a federal charge under the FACE Act.

Prosecutors say the protest disrupted a worship service. They also say it interfered with people trying to worship.

Officials said agents with the FBI and Homeland Security Investigations arrested Lemon.

Read the law on conspiracy against rights (18 U.S.C. § 241). Read the FACE Act (18 U.S.C. § 248).

Lemon says he was doing journalism

Lawyer Abbe Lowell called the arrest an ‘attack on the First Amendment’. He said Lemon was reporting.

Lemon said he had a tip that activists would show up. He said he did not know they would interrupt worship.

Footage from inside the church shows arguments about immigration enforcement. Lemon is seen speaking with parishioners.

Earlier court setbacks for prosecutors

After the Jan. 18 protest, federal agents arrested several activists, reports said. Another journalist, Georgia Fort, was also arrested, reports said.

Before Friday, a magistrate judge declined to issue arrest warrants for Lemon and a producer, reports said.

The Justice Department then sought emergency review, reports said. The Eighth Circuit rejected that push, reports said.

Chief Judge Patrick Schiltz also criticized the emergency filings in court letters, reports said.

Schiltz said prosecutors should seek a grand jury indictment to move forward, the records show.

Learn about the federal courts in the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Eighth Circuit.

Political reaction and background

Trump administration officials condemned the protest. They accused protesters of intimidating worshippers.

Lemon worked at CNN for 17 years. CNN fired him in 2023.

He has continued political reporting on his own platforms. He has often criticized immigration policy.

What happens next

Lemon is expected to appear in federal court in Los Angeles. The case may later proceed in Minnesota.

The Justice Department did not immediately answer media questions on Friday, reports said.

For general information, visit the U.S. Department of Justice.

I’m Chris Harper reporting for TRF News.