In a recent Substack post, former CNN host Don Lemon has portrayed himself as a victim of persecution, drawing upon biblical references to express his stance on his arrest last month. The charges arose from his involvement in an anti-ICE protest held at a Minnesota church.
Lemon, released without bail last Friday, maintains that his actions were purely journalistic. However, prosecutors argue he collaborated with activists who disrupted services at Cities Church.
Quoting John 8:32, Lemon wrote, “There is a passage in scripture that says, ‘The truth shall set you free.’ But it does not say it will protect you from cages. It does not say it will spare you the consequences of seeing too clearly. It does not say it will make the powerful comfortable.” Through these words, he emphasizes the harsh realities he believes he faces for his work.
Lemon shared that his understanding of these truths came not from religious teachings but from personal experience. He expressed frustration, asserting that “the government decided that my work as a journalist was not protected speech, but punishable.”
In a conversation with Fox News Digital, Lemon stood by his reporting, adding depth to his narrative of enduring governmental pressure.
In his post, Lemon compared his arrest to historical attempts to silence journalists and civil rights leaders, arguing that press freedom is often conditional upon not challenging those in positions of power. His reflections serve as a poignant reminder of the ongoing struggles faced by those committed to challenging the status quo.
Lemon wrote that America “loves the idea of a free press,” but only so long as journalism does not “disturb comfort” or “expose what power would rather conceal,” saying the First Amendment exists to protect accountability, not convenience.
Prosecutors charged Lemon with conspiracy to deprive rights and a FACE Act violation stemming from his involvement in an anti-ICE protest that disrupted church services in Minnesota.
Don Lemon livestreamed left-wing agitators who stormed St. Paul’s Cities Church under the suspicion that its pastor had collaborated with U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE). (Arturo Holmes/Getty Images)
Lemon drew attention earlier this month after livestreaming activists who entered St. Paul’s Cities Church during Sunday services, and has said he was present in a journalistic capacity, while the indictment alleges he coordinated with protest organizers prior to their arrival.
According to a federal affidavit dated Jan. 20, parishioners told investigators that agitators blocked stairwells and aisles inside the church, preventing parents from reaching children in a downstairs childcare area and making it difficult for worshipers to leave the sanctuary.
One parishioner reported fearing the agitators may have been armed after hearing shouting that sounded like the word “shoot.”
Parishioners at Cities Church reported agitators terrorizing them and yelling in their faces. (Stephen Maturen/Getty Images)
Other churchgoers described agitators yelling in the faces of parishioners, including women and young children, causing some children to cry.
One woman fell and was injured as worshipers fled through a side exit, according to the affidavit.
The affidavit alleges the group entered the church in a coordinated manner, disrupted the service and intimidated parishioners, forcing it to be cut short.
During the incident, video reviewed by investigators shows a church pastor asking one individual to leave the building, saying he needed to “take care of my church and my family.”
The pastor appeared visibly distressed as activists continued to confront him, according to the affidavit.
Despite those allegations, Lemon compared his arrest to the treatment of civil rights leaders and journalists he said were punished for challenging power, citing Malcolm X, Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. and James Baldwin.
