Don Lemon found himself in handcuffs in Los Angeles on Friday morning after participating in a pro-immigration protest at a Minnesota church, as reported by the Daily Mail.
The former CNN anchor, now 59, was taken into federal custody in connection with an incident that was captured on camera for his show at the Cities Church in St. Paul on January 18.
Lemon faces charges of conspiracy to violate rights and breaching the FACE Act, which prohibits using force to interfere with someone’s First Amendment rights.
Before his arrest on Thursday night, Lemon was spotted in Los Angeles attending the Grammy’s Recording Academy Honors awards show, where he was photographed with rapper Busta Rhymes.
The events leading to Lemon’s arrest occurred earlier in the month, while he was documenting a protest against Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE). The demonstration targeted the church due to its pastor, David Eastwood, also heading the local ICE field office.
The incident saw protesters shouting and disrupting churchgoers, igniting widespread outrage across the nation.
Lemon denied claims he had broken the law and said his behavior was covered by the First Amendment.
‘There’s a Constitution and a First Amendment, and freedom of speech and freedom to assemble and protest,’ Lemon said, defending his appearance at the church service to the pastor.
Don Lemon was arrested in Los Angeles on Friday morning after joining pro-immigration protesters who stormed a Minnesota church earlier this month
Before Lemon was arrested Thursday night, he attended the Grammy’s Recording Academy Honors awards show in Los Angeles, where he was pictured alongside rapper Busta Rhymes
In a statement from Lemon’s attorney Abbe Lowell following his arrest, he defended the storming of the church in Minnesota as ‘constitutionally protected.’
‘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 statement read.
‘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.’
Lowell concluded the statement by declaring that Lemon ‘will fight these charges vigorously and thoroughly in court.’
Federal officials had previously expressed desire to charge Lemon under the FACE Act, which bans people or groups interfering in religious services.
Assistant Attorney General for Civil Rights, Harmeet Dhillon, also floated charging Lemon under the Ku Klux Klan Act, which makes it illegal to threaten, hurt, or intimidate people to prevent them from exercising their civil rights.
A federal judge in Minneapolis previously blocked attempts to bring those charges against Lemon.
The broadcaster lives in New York with his realtor husband Tim Malone, 41, who he married in 2024.
Lemon was fired from CNN in April 2023 after a 17 year stint at the network.
He sparked fury two months before his dismissal while claiming women in their 40s were ‘past their prime’ while discussing the prospects of Republican presidential hopeful Nikki Haley.
Since then, Lemon has set up a YouTube channel and brands himself as an ‘independent journalist’.
Lemon joined protesters at the church earlier this month, where he interviewed organizer Nekima Levy Armstrong (pictured) – who was also later arrested for her role in the incident
It comes as it was revealed that the anti-ICE mob that Lemon joined chose to target the church because one of its pastors, David Easterwood, also serves as the acting director of the St Paul ICE field office.
Easterwood, a pastor at the Cities Church in St. Paul, appeared alongside Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem in October, where he spoke of being ‘proud’ of leading the immigration crackdown in the town.
At the protest while speaking with Lemon, protester Nekima Levy Armstrong – who was later arrested for her role in the incident – singled Easterwood out as the reason they chose to overwhelm the Sunday service.
‘This will not stand, they cannot pretend to be a house of God, while harboring someone who is commanding ICE agents to terrorize our communities,’ Armstrong told Lemon.
