Don Lemon was arrested Thursday night in Los Angeles by federal agents in connection with an incident at a Minnesota church earlier this month, his attorney said. The arrest comes nearly two weeks after Lemon was reporting on an anti-ICE protest that interrupted church service at Cities Church in St. Paul, Minnesota.
A statement from Attorney General Pam Bondi said federal authorities took Lemon and others into custody in relation to what they described as a coordinated attack on the church, which protesters say was targeted because one of its pastors also works for Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE).
Lemon’s lawyer, Abbe Lowell, released statement condemning the arrest and called it an unprecedented assault on press freedom, saying Lemon was simply exercising his First Amendment rights as a journalist by documenting the protest and holding power to account. He also criticized the Justice Department for focusing on Lemon instead of investigations into the deaths of two protesters at the hands of federal immigration agents in Minneapolis.
See full statement below from Lemon’s attorney:
“Don Lemon was taken into custody by federal agents last night in Los Angeles, where he was covering the Grammy awards. Don has been a journalist for 30 years, and his constitutionally protected work in Minneapolis was no different than what he has always done. The First Amendment exists to protect journalists whose role it is to shine light on the truth and hold those in power accountable. There is no more important time for people like Don to be doing this work.
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, and that is the real indictment of wrongdoing in this case.
This unprecedented attack on the First Amendment and transparent attempt to distract attention from the many crises facing this administration will not stand. Don will fight these charges vigorously and thoroughly in court.”
The former CNN anchor/now independent journalist was in Los Angeles to cover the 68th annual Grammy Awards when federal agents took him into custody.
The protest in St. Paul occurred on January 18, and authorities previously sought charges related to the interruption of the church service. A federal magistrate judge had earlier refused to approve charges against Lemon when prosecutors first attempted to bring them, but federal authorities pressed forward with a grand jury process leading to his arrest.
