Don Lemon’s Arrest Linked to Protest Disruption

On Friday, Brian Stelter, CNN’s chief media analyst, indicated that Don Lemon, a former host on CNN, was aware of plans to disrupt a church service in St. Paul, Minnesota, before it occurred.

Lemon was arrested in Los Angeles on Thursday night. This arrest is tied to the destruction of the Cities Church on January 18, an action carried out by protesters opposing Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) because Lemon worked as an ICE officer. While Stelter defended Lemon’s reporting during the incident, he asserted that Lemon definitely had prior knowledge of the impending protest.

“Don Lemon always insisted he was there as a journalist, not an activist,” Stelter noted, adding that Lemon reiterated this both before and during the service. Still, it was clear he sensed that something was brewing with the protesters.

Stelter mentioned that Lemon had even encouraged his YouTube audience to be attentive, hinting that chaos was imminent. He took precautions to prevent the cameraman from entering the church until after the unrest began, suggesting a degree of foreknowledge regarding the situation.

Lemon maintains that his entry into the church was both journalistic and ethical. Harmeet Dhillon, Assistant Attorney General for Civil Rights, remarked on “The Benny Johnson Show” that Lemon’s advance knowledge might have played a role in enabling potential civil rights violations linked to the protests.

Three others tied to the church incident were also arrested: Traherne Jean Crews, Georgia Fort, and Jamael Rydell Lundy. Additionally, Attorney General Pam Bondi shared that federal agents detained Chauntill Louisa Allen, Nekima Levi Armstrong, and William Kelly on January 22.

The Department of Justice is examining whether the protesters breached the Freedom of Access to Clinic Entrances (FACE) Act and the Ku Klux Klan Act, both of which prohibit interference with places of worship and acts against civil rights.

Authorities initially sought different avenues to arrest Lemon, but a magistrate judge turned down prior attempts by the DOJ to prosecute him. In a video shared on X on January 22, Lemon urged officials to keep pursuing him: “Look, I’m standing proud, and I’m standing tall. This isn’t a victory lap for me, because it’s not over yet. They’ll try again, and guess what? I’m here. Keep trying.”