The independent journalist Don Lemon has appeared before a magistrate after being apprehended for his role in filming a demonstration at Cities Church in St Paul on 18 January.
According to the US media, federal agents took Lemon into custody in Los Angeles on Thursday while he was attending the Grammy Awards.
The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) has confirmed that the former news anchor faces charges of “conspiracy to deprive rights” and breaching the Freedom of Access to Clinic Entrances and Places of Religious Worship (FACE) Act.
While the FACE Act is frequently associated with abortion clinic protests, it also prohibits the forceful obstruction of access to religious institutions.
Allegations of a ‘coordinated attack’
The charges relate to an incident where protesters entered the Southern Baptist Convention church, alleging that a pastor there served as an immigration official.
Lemon, who was dismissed from CNN in April 2023, broadcast the “resistance protesters” live on YouTube as they disrupted the service.
During the event, demonstrators were heard calling for “Justice for Renee Good,” a reference to a US citizen shot dead by an Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) officer earlier in January.
US Attorney General Pam Bondi described the incident as a “coordinated attack” and announced that three others – journalist Georgia Fort and activists Trahem Jeen Crews and Jamael Lydell Lundy – had also been arrested.
FBI Director Kash Patel stated that the arrests were a joint effort between his agency and the DHS. Although a magistrate judge initially declined to approve charges against Lemon, the government successfully challenged that ruling.
Defending the First Amendment
Speaking outside the court after being released without entering a plea, Lemon insisted he was merely performing his duties as a journalist.
“I have spent my entire career covering the news. I will not stop now,” he declared, asserting that an independent media is vital for holding power to account.
His legal representative, Abbe Lowell, condemned the arrest as a “transparent attempt” by the administration to divert attention from various crises and an “unprecedented attack on the First Amendment”.
The case has drawn criticism from high-profile figures, including Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass, who labelled the detention “shocking.”
CNN also expressed concern, stating that the prosecution raises “profoundly concerning questions about press freedom.” This marks the second time this month the administration has targeted a member of the press, following a recent FBI search of a Washington Post reporter’s residence.
Despite the backlash, the Department of Justice’s Civil Rights Division, represented by Harmeet Dhillon, has vowed to pursue the case “to the ends of the Earth.”
Meanwhile, the White House appeared to mock Lemon on social media, posting an image of the journalist with a caption referencing “lemons” and a chain link emoji.
