Former CNN Anchor Don Lemon Arrested By Federal Agents In Los Angeles
Former CNN anchor Don Lemon was taken into custody by federal agents in Los Angeles late Thursday night, confirmed by a statement released by his attorney, Abbe Lowell, on Friday morning. Lemon was reportedly in the city to cover the upcoming Grammy Awards scheduled for Sunday.
The charges appear to stem from an incident that occurred earlier this month in St. Paul, Minnesota. Federal authorities allege Lemon was involved in a disturbance at the Cities Church on January 18, where protesters interrupted a service to demonstrate against a pastor who reportedly serves as an official with U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE). The protest was part of broader demonstrations regarding immigration enforcement, and prosecutors have accused participants of violating federal statutes that protect religious services from disruption.
In a statement posted to social media, Lemon’s legal counsel vigorously defended the journalist, arguing that his presence at the church was protected under the First Amendment. “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 stated. “The First Amendment exists to protect journalists whose role it is to shine light on the truth and hold those in power to account.”
The defense further characterized the arrest as political in nature. Lowell’s statement criticized the Department of Justice’s priorities, asserting, “Instead of investigating the federal agents who killed two peaceful 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.”
The arrest follows reports that a federal magistrate judge in Minnesota had initially rejected a bid to charge Lemon last week. However, the Department of Justice reportedly continued to pursue the matter. Independent journalist Georgia Fort was also reportedly taken into custody on Friday morning in connection with the same event. Lemon represents that he had no affiliation with the activist organization that staged the protest and was present solely to document the news. He has vowed to fight the charges in court.
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