Federal agents arrested former CNN anchor Don Lemon in Los Angeles on charges stemming from a Minnesota church disruption, triggering a fierce debate over whether the Trump administration is prosecuting genuine criminal conduct or targeting a journalist for exercising First Amendment rights.
Story Highlights
- Don Lemon arrested on federal charges including conspiracy to deprive civil rights and FACE Act violations after a January 2026 protest disrupted a church service in St. Paul, Minnesota
- Attorney General Pam Bondi personally directed the arrest, overriding a local judge’s earlier decision to decline charges against Lemon and three others
- Lemon’s defense team claims he was engaged in protected journalism, while prosecutors describe a “coordinated attack” on a house of worship
- The case represents an extraordinarily rare federal prosecution of a journalist for on-scene protest coverage, raising significant constitutional questions
Federal Charges Override Local Court Decision
Attorney General Pam Bondi ordered federal agents to arrest Don Lemon on Thursday night while he covered the Grammy awards in Los Angeles. The arrest stems from a protest at Cities Church in St. Paul, Minnesota, where demonstrators disrupted a service after identifying the pastor as an ICE official. Federal prosecutors charged Lemon with conspiracy to deprive someone of their rights, interfering with First Amendment rights, and violating the Freedom of Access to Clinic Entrances Act, which protects access to houses of worship. Three others were arrested alongside Lemon, including producer Trahern Jeen Crews, independent journalist Georgia Fort, and Jamael Lydell Lundy.
Minnesota Judge Previously Declined Prosecution
The federal intervention becomes more controversial given that a Minnesota judge initially declined to bring charges in this case. After the January church disruption, federal prosecutors filed a criminal complaint, but local judicial review rejected moving forward with prosecution. AG Bondi’s directive effectively overrode this local judicial discretion, raising questions about appropriate federal prosecutorial priorities. This override demonstrates the Trump administration’s willingness to pursue charges even when local courts found them unwarranted, suggesting a determination to hold accountable those who disrupt religious worship regardless of claimed journalistic purpose.
FACE Act Application Expands Beyond Abortion Clinics
The 1994 Freedom of Access to Clinic Entrances Act originally targeted violent obstruction at reproductive health facilities but also protects houses of worship from intimidation and interference. Prosecutors argue the church disruption constitutes a coordinated attack that violated federal law protecting religious freedom and access to worship. The law prohibits force, threats, or physical obstruction that injures, intimidates, or interferes with individuals accessing religious services. Applying this statute to protest coverage represents a novel legal approach that may establish precedent for future cases involving disruptive demonstrations at churches and synagogues across America.
First Amendment Defense Faces Uphill Legal Battle
Lemon’s attorney Abbe Lowell characterized the arrest as an “unprecedented attack on the First Amendment,” insisting his client engaged in protected journalistic activity by covering the protest. Georgia Fort echoed this defense, claiming she was “arrested for being press.” However, criminal charges against journalists for on-scene protest coverage remain extraordinarily rare, typically limited to contempt citations for refusing to reveal sources. Prosecutors must demonstrate Lemon actively participated in the disruption rather than merely observing and reporting, which presents constitutional challenges but also reflects the seriousness with which this administration views attacks on religious freedom and the right to worship without intimidation.
President Trump previously criticized Lemon’s conduct at the church, calling it “terrible” and suggesting accountability was necessary. This arrest occurs early in Trump’s second term amid heightened tensions over immigration enforcement and media relations. Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche scheduled a Friday press conference to provide additional details about the charges. The case will test whether federal prosecutors can successfully argue that disrupting religious services crosses the line from protected speech into criminal conspiracy, even when journalists claim coverage as their defense. The outcome could significantly impact how protest disruptions at churches are prosecuted and whether the press shield extends to active participation in illegal conduct.
Sources:
Former CNN anchor Don Lemon arrested by federal agents in Los Angeles – Los Angeles Times
Don Lemon arrested over Minnesota protest – Politico
