Don Lemon Arrested Following ‘Church Invasion
Arrest During the Grammys
Former CNN anchor Don Lemon was taken into federal custody in Los Angeles
while covering the Grammy Awards, linked to his presence at a Jan.
18 protest that disrupted a church service in St. Paul, Minnesota.
The Protest and Charges
At Cities Church, anti–immigration-enforcement protesters interrupted worship.
Lemon livestreamed the event and interacted with participants.
He was charged with “conspiracy to deprive rights” and violating the
FACE Act by “interfering by force” with worshippers’ First Amendment rights.
Legal Dispute
A federal magistrate previously declined to sign a criminal complaint,
citing a lack of probable cause at that stage. Lemon’s attorney called the
arrest “an unprecedented attack on press freedom,” saying Lemon was reporting, not organizing.
Broader Response
Attorney General Pam Bondi vowed continued prosecutions, saying,
“If you protested and went into that church… we are coming after you,”
emphasizing that “no individual is ‘above the law.’”
