In an interview with Jimmy Kimmel, former CNN host Don Lemon discussed his recent arrest related to a protest incident in Minnesota. He shared that his attorney, Abby Lowell, had previously communicated with the Justice Department regarding his surrender, but, according to Lemon, Lowell did not receive a response. This was amid public discussions by Justice Department officials about potentially charging him.
Lemon described the night of his arrest. After attending a pre-Grammy event, he returned to his hotel in Los Angeles. As he pressed the elevator button, he suddenly felt people pushing him, attempting to place him in handcuffs. “They said, ‘We’re here to arrest you,'” he recounted. Confused, he asked who they were before they finally identified themselves.
During the incident, Lemon requested to see the arrest warrant but was told the agents didn’t have one on hand. They had to wait for an outside FBI agent to send him a copy on a cellphone. Lemon commented on the overwhelming presence of law enforcement: “It probably should have been a dozen people. It’s a waste of resources.” He added that he’d indicated weeks in advance that he could have come in voluntarily, avoiding such a scene.
Kimmel then highlighted that the situation was more than just a resource waste, echoing Lemon’s thoughts on how such tactics are intended to intimidate and embarrass him. Lemon agreed, emphasizing that instilling fear seemed to be the goal of the operation.
This arrest stemmed from charges filed against Lemon for conspiracy to deprive rights and violating the FACE Act, connected to his role in an anti-ICE protest that disrupted a church service in Minnesota. Notably, he had livestreamed the protest at St. Paul’s Cities Church, maintaining he was acting as a journalist. However, the Justice Department asserts that he had made prior arrangements with the protest’s organizers.
Outside the courthouse following his charges, Lemon reaffirmed his commitment to journalism, asserting that these past decades of reporting wouldn’t stop now. He remarked, “There’s never been a more important time… to hold people accountable.” Lemon expressed confidence in the First Amendment’s defense of his work, stating he welcomed his day in court.
Before the arrest, he had playfully suggested to the Trump administration that he could be the “new Jimmy Kimmel,” hinting at a blend of humor and political critique. His next court date is set for February 9 in Minneapolis, with ongoing discussions surrounding the previous rejection of the Justice Department’s charges.
