Don Lemon Arrested by Federal Authorities Over Minnesota Church Protest Coverage

By Alexus Mosley

Former CNN anchor Don Lemon was arrested by federal authorities Thursday night in Los Angeles in connection with his presence at a protest during a church service in St. Paul, Minnesota, earlier this month.

Lemon, 59, was taken into custody along with three other journalists, Trahern Jeen Crews, Georgia Fort, and Jamael Lydell Lundy, in what the U.S. Department of Justice described as an investigation tied to a coordinated disturbance at Cities Church on Jan. 18. The arrests were announced Friday by Florida Attorney General Pam Bondi via social media.

The protest occurred during a Sunday service at Cities Church in St. Paul, where demonstrators challenged the pastor, whom they believed to be associated with U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE). Protesters have repeatedly claimed the pastor, David Easterwood, served in an enforcement role with federal immigration authorities, a point authorities dispute.

Details about the specific charges against Lemon and the other journalists have not been made public. A Justice Department spokesperson confirmed that charges related to the church protest are being pursued, but federal officials have not disclosed the statutes or counts involved.

Lemon’s attorney, Abbe Lowell, issued a statement condemning the arrest. Lowell characterized the action as an unprecedented assault on press freedoms and a diversion from other federal investigations. “Instead of investigating the federal agents who killed two peaceful Minnesota protesters, the Trump Justice Department is devoting its time, attention, and resources to this arrest,” Lowell said. He added that Lemon plans to “fight these charges vigorously and thoroughly in court.”

In addition to Lemon and the three journalists, federal agents previously arrested three protesters (Nekima Levy Armstrong, Chauntyll Louisa Allen, and William Kelly) in connection with the same church incident. A federal judge later ordered the release of Allen and Kelly, stating that the government offered “no factual or legal support” for parts of the original detention.

Before his arrest, Lemon publicly stood by his reporting from the church protest.

As of publication, federal authorities have not released formal charging documents, and it remains unclear what legal violations, if any, have been officially filed against Lemon and his colleagues.

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