Former network anchor Don Lemon is expected to appear in federal court in St. Paul on Friday to enter a plea in a criminal matter connected to his role in broadcasting and documenting a protest that interrupted a January church service in Minnesota.
Prosecutors say Lemon livestreamed a demonstration that targeted the deployment of thousands of armed immigration agents into Minnesota's largest cities under an operation aimed at increasing deportations. The protest, according to court documents and public accounts, disrupted a January 18 service at Cities Church in St. Paul.
Federal authorities have charged Lemon with two crimes: conspiring to deprive others of their civil rights and violating a statute that has previously been applied in cases involving protests outside abortion clinics and that also bars obstructing access to houses of worship. The court appearance is scheduled for 1:00 p.m. local time - 1900 GMT - in federal court in St. Paul.
Responses and characterization of the case
Lemon's lawyer has described the prosecution as an attack on First Amendment protections for free speech. The defense maintains the coverage and livestreaming were journalistic activities documenting the protest.
Public officials have framed the matter differently. The president publicly praised the Justice Department for bringing charges against Lemon, saying the disruption of the church service was a "horrible thing." Attorney General Pam Bondi said in a January 30 social media video that prosecutors will pursue anyone who threatens the "sacred right" to worship freely and safely.
What occurred during the protest and Lemon’s coverage
Organizers of the demonstration told Lemon they targeted Cities Church because they believed a senior pastor there had a working relationship with U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement. An archived livestream on Lemon's YouTube channel shows him meeting with and interviewing activists prior to their arrival at the church, then recording the disruption inside the service. The footage includes interviews with congregants, protesters and a pastor who asked Lemon and others to leave the premises.
Additional arrests and scheduling
An independent local journalist, Georgia Fort, was also arrested and is charged with the same offenses as Lemon. Fort has denied any wrongdoing, asserting she was reporting on the event rather than participating in it. She is scheduled to enter a plea on February 17.
Broader context included in court filings and public statements
Thousands of demonstrators marched in Minneapolis and other U.S. cities in January to protest a federal immigration enforcement operation during which federal agents fatally shot two U.S. citizens, according to public accounts. In the wake of those protests, the president has agreed to end the deportation surge in Minnesota, and many agents are expected to return to their home states over the following week.
Lemon, who spent 17 years at CNN and rose to prominence as a network personality, became an independent journalist following his departure from the network. He was dismissed by CNN in 2023 after making sexist on-air comments for which he later apologized. In his independent broadcasts, including YouTube streams, Lemon has frequently criticized the president.
The matter now moves into the federal court calendar, where Lemon will enter a plea and the legal proceedings will begin to unfold. The charges and the high-profile nature of the individuals involved have drawn attention from advocates for press freedom, religious liberty, and law enforcement alike. How the courts resolve the case will determine the next procedural steps for all defendants named.