Former CNN Anchor Don Lemon Arrested in Beverly Hills Over Minnesota Protest Coverage
Federal agents arrested independent journalist and former CNN anchor Don Lemon late Thursday evening in Beverly Hills, California, executing a warrant connected to his coverage of a protest in St. Paul, Minnesota. Agents from the FBI and Homeland Security Investigations took Lemon into custody at his hotel, where he was staying to cover the upcoming Grammy Awards.
The charges against Lemon stem from a January 18 incident at Cities Church in St. Paul. According to the Department of Justice, Lemon is facing federal charges including conspiracy to deprive rights and violation of the Freedom of Access to Clinic Entrances (FACE) Act. Prosecutors allege that Lemon and other demonstrators disrupted a religious service, interfering with the congregation’s First Amendment right to worship. The protest targeted the church because its pastor reportedly serves as a field officer for Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE).
Lemon’s legal team has strongly objected to the arrest, characterizing it as a direct assault on freedom of the press. His attorney, Abbe Lowell, issued a statement asserting that Lemon was present at the church solely in his capacity as a journalist to document a newsworthy event. Lowell argued that Lemon’s actions were constitutionally protected newsgathering and emphasized that the First Amendment exists to shield journalists holding power to account. The defense noted that a federal magistrate judge in Minnesota had previously declined to sign an arrest warrant for Lemon, citing insufficient evidence, before prosecutors secured an indictment through a grand jury.
The indictment accuses Lemon of conspiring with activists who entered the private property to chant and disrupt the sermon. While the government claims Lemon was an active participant who utilized his platform to encourage the disruption, video footage released by Lemon shows him identifying himself as a journalist and asking questions of those involved. Supporters and press freedom advocates have expressed concern that using the FACE Act—typically applied to blocking access to reproductive health clinics—against a reporter sets a dangerous precedent for criminalizing on-the-ground reporting.
Lemon was released on his own recognizance after an initial court appearance in Los Angeles on Friday. He is expected to plead not guilty to all charges. This legal battle arises as Lemon continues to build his independent media venture following his departure from CNN in 2023 and a brief, contentious partnership with X (formerly Twitter). The case is likely to ignite further debate regarding the boundaries between activism and journalism in politically charged environments.
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