The protest at the church has sparked significant backlash from conservative religious and political figures.
WASHINGTON — On Friday, former CNN anchor Don Lemon is expected to appear in federal court for his arraignment in connection with a criminal case linked to his reporting on a church protest in Minnesota. The protest was in opposition to President Donald Trump’s aggressive immigration policies in the region.
Now working as an independent journalist, Lemon was broadcasting live from the scene where demonstrators gathered at a church to speak out against Trump’s decision to deploy thousands of federal immigration agents across major Minnesota cities.
Also set to be arraigned on Friday is civil rights lawyer Nekima Levy Armstrong. A doctored photo of Armstrong, shared on an official White House social media platform, misleadingly depicted her in tears at the time of her arrest. This image is part of a wave of AI-manipulated content that has emerged following the fatal shootings of Renee Good and Alex Pretti by federal officers in Minneapolis, amid the ongoing immigration enforcement activities under the Trump administration.
Federal court arraignments typically involve defendants entering pleas and the scheduling of further legal proceedings. It remains uncertain whether Lemon will make a personal appearance at the hearing or if his legal team will represent him. His lawyer, Joe Thompson, has not responded to requests for comment this week.
Two additional defendants, including independent journalist Georgia Fort, are scheduled for arraignment next week. In total, nine individuals face charges in this case.
What happened at Cities Church?
Protesters interrupted the service at Cities Church on Jan. 18 by chanting “ICE out” and “Justice for Renee Good,” referring to the 37-year-old mother of three who was fatally shot by an officer in Minneapolis last month. Lemon has said that he was not affiliated with the group and that he was there as a journalist to cover the event for his livestream show.
The church protest drew sharp complaints from conservative religious and political leaders. White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt warned in a social media post at the time that “President Trump will not tolerate the intimidation and harassment of Christians in their sacred places of worship.” Even among clergy who oppose the administration’s immigration enforcement tactics, there was discomfort with such protests.
The Jan. 18 church service at Cities Church in St. Paul was selected by protesters because they believed a senior pastor at the church was an ICE agent.
Lemon was arrested by federal agents in Los Angeles, where he had been covering the Grammy Awards more than a week after the protest, his attorney Abbe Lowell said.
The veteran journalist was charged with conspiring to deprive others of their civil rights, and for breaking a law meant to crack down on demonstrations at abortion clinics. The law has a provision that forbids obstructing access to houses of worship.
Lemon, who was fired from CNN in 2023, has said he has no affiliation to the organization that went into the church and that he was there as a journalist chronicling protesters.
“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 in a statement. “The First Amendment exists to protect journalists whose role it is to shine light on the truth and hold those in power accountable.”
Attorney General Pam Bondi posted on social media shortly after Lemon’s arrest saying he was taken into custody along with others who were in the church during the protest.
“At my direction, early this morning federal agents arrested Don Lemon, Trahern Jeen Crews, Georgia Fort, and Jamael Lydell Lundy, in connection with the coordinated attack on Cities Church in St. Paul, Minnesota,” Bondi said.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
