Don Lemon arrested for involvement in anti-ICE church storming

Federal law enforcement officials arrested former CNN host Don Lemon on Thursday night following his involvement in the recent anti-U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) protest and storming of Cities Church in St. Paul, Minnesota.

In a Friday morning statement on Facebook, Lemon’s attorney, Abbe Lowell, announced that the former CNN host had been arrested on Thursday night while covering the Grammy Awards in Los Angeles, California. 

“Don has been a journalist for 30 years, and his constitutionally protected work in Minneapolis was no different than what he has always done,” Lowell said. “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,” Lowell added. “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.”

U.S. Attorney General Pam Bondi confirmed that federal agents arrested the former CNN host at her direction in connection with the “coordinated attack” against Cities Church in St. Paul. Bondi explained that three other individuals, identified as Georgia Fort, Trahern Jeen Crews, and Jamael Lydell Lundy, were also arrested for their involvement in the storming of the church. The attorney general also confirmed that additional details regarding the arrests would be coming “soon.” 

Judge Douglas Micko previously refused to approve charges for Lemon over the former CNN host’s involvement in the storming of Cities Church in St. Paul. 

The judge’s refusal to approve charges against Lemon came after Assistant Attorney General for Civil Rights Harmeet Dhillon suggested that Lemon could face significant consequences for his involvement in the church storming. Dhillon warned that the former CNN host’s claim that he was “committing journalism” was not a “shield” for being “an embedded part of a criminal conspiracy.”

Addressing the Trump administration’s efforts to bring charges against him last week, Lemon released a video message, saying, “I stand proud, and I stand tall. This is not a victory lap for me, because it’s not over. They’re going to try again, and they’re going to try again. And guess what? Here I am. Keep trying.”

“That’s not going to stop me from being a journalist. You’re not going to diminish my voice,” Lemon added. “Go ahead. Make me into the new Jimmy Kimmel if you want.”