Journalist Don Lemon Charged With Federal Civil Rights Crimes After Covering Anti-ICE Church Protest

Journalist Don Lemon was released from custody on Friday after being arrested on federal civil rights charges linked to his coverage of an anti-immigration enforcement protest at a Minnesota church.

Lemon was arrested overnight in Los Angeles, while another independent journalist and two protest participants were taken into custody in Minnesota. Speaking to reporters after a court appearance in California, Lemon struck a defiant tone.

“I will not be silenced,” he said. “There is no more important time than right now for a free and independent media that holds those in power accountable.”

A grand jury in Minnesota indicted Lemon and others on charges of conspiracy and interfering with the First Amendment rights of worshippers during a Jan. 18 protest at Cities Church in St. Paul. The church is led by a pastor who also serves as a US Immigration and Customs Enforcement official.

Prosecutors alleged Lemon “knowingly joined a mob that stormed into a church,” and sought a $100,000 bond. A judge released him without requiring bail and allowed him to travel abroad while the case is pending.

Lemon’s attorney said he will plead not guilty and contest the charges in Minnesota. His legal team maintains that he was present solely in his capacity as a journalist and had no role in organizing or leading the protest.

“Don has been a journalist for 30 years, and his work in Minneapolis was no different from what he has always done,” his lawyer said.

The arrests prompted criticism from press freedom advocates and civil rights leaders, including the Rev. Al Sharpton, who accused the Trump administration of undermining First Amendment protections.

Attorney General Pam Bondi defended the arrests, saying the administration was committed to protecting religious freedom and public safety.

Since leaving CNN in 2023, Lemon has operated an independent online media platform and has been openly critical of President Donald Trump. During his livestream from the protest, he repeatedly said he was present as a journalist, not as an activist.

Legal experts questioned the use of civil rights statutes against reporters. Jane Kirtley, a media law scholar at the University of Minnesota, described the charges as government overreach and warned they could deter investigative reporting.

The National Association of Black Journalists said it was “deeply alarmed” by Lemon’s arrest, calling it an attempt to intimidate journalists.

Other defendants in the case, including Georgia Fort, Trahern Crews and Jamael Lundy, were released on bond and entered not-guilty pleas. Supporters applauded their release in court.

The Justice Department launched the investigation after protesters disrupted a church service by chanting slogans against immigration enforcement and demanding justice for Renee Good, who was fatally shot by an ICE officer in Minneapolis.

Church leaders welcomed the arrests, saying authorities had acted to protect the congregation’s right to worship without disruption.

The case has renewed debate over press freedom, protest rights and the limits of law enforcement in politically charged demonstrations.