Journalist Don Lemon indicted and arrested over disruption at church service – JURIST

Don Lemon, a well-known independent journalist, was arrested with eight other people on Thursday after being indicted by a federal grand jury.  The charges relate to his involvement in coverage of a protest against Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) at a church in St. Paul on January 18. Protesters said that they targeted the church because its pastor, David Easterwood, works as acting director for ICE’s St. Paul Field Office

The indictment alleges that 20-40 protestors entered the Cities Church during a worship service and began to disrupt it through “acts of oppression, intimidation, threats…and physical obstruction.” As a result, “[t]he Church [was] forced to terminate [its] worship service, congregants fled.”

DOJ says that Lemon, Fort, and the other journalists conspired with the protestors to deprive the church of its First Amendment rights.  DOJ charged the group with Conspiracy Against Right of Religious Freedom, 18 USC § 241, and with violating the Freedom of Access to Clinic Entrances Act, 18 U.S.C. § 248(a)(2).

DOJ tried and failed to get arrest warrants from a magistrate judge, a federal judge, and the United States Court of Appeals for the Eighth Circuit.  The grand jury was DOJ’s fourth attempt at criminal action in the case.

“I have spent my entire career covering the news. I will not stop now,” said Lemon.

Abbe Lowell, attorney for Lemon, added on X:

Don has been a journalist for 30 years, and his constitutionally protected work in Minneapolis was no different than what he has always done. The First Amendment exists to protect journalists whose role it is to shine light on the truth and hold those in power accountable.  There is no more important time for people like Don to be doing this work.

Lemon was a journalist for CNN for 9 years.  He now works independently. Georgia Fort, an independent journalist who specializes in social justice issues, was also indicted and arrested.