Don Lemon to Appear in Federal Court Over Minnesota Church Incident
Former CNN anchor and independent journalist Don Lemon is set to appear in federal court this Friday. His charges are connected to the takeover of a Minnesota church by anti-ICE activists.
Lemon faces charges of conspiracy related to infringing on religious freedom and breaching the FACE Act. This follows an incident last month where the pastor of St. Paul’s Cities Church allegedly collaborated with U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), broadcasting an aggressive attack on the church. The hearing is scheduled for 1 p.m. with Judge Douglas L. Micco in Minnesota.
Lemon insists he’s simply a journalist, claiming he doesn’t belong to any group that targets churchgoers. He will be defended by Abby Lowell, who has represented Hunter Biden, alongside Joe Thompson, a lead prosecutor known for his work on a significant food fraud case involving the local Somali community. Thompson resigned from his role in the U.S. Attorney’s Office earlier this year.
During the livestream of the upset at the church, Lemon referred to it as a “secret mission.” He stated, “You have to be willing to go out there and disrupt and make people uncomfortable. That’s what this country is about.”
A federal affidavit details that the agitators disrupted the church service and created a hostile environment, intimidating both adults and children and causing the service to end early. Some church members reported difficulties in accessing their children in a nursery area due to the protestors blocking the stairs. There were concerns raised about possible weapons among the agitators as well.
Lemon’s social media presence has seen a significant boost, and he made an appearance on “Jimmy Kimmel Live!” Following his arrest, he even received attention at the Grammy Awards.
The FACE Act delineates severe consequences—fines and potential prison time—for those using or threatening force against individuals seeking reproductive health services or exercising their First Amendment rights in places of worship. It also forbids willful damage to such facilities.
Previously, Lemon told Fox News Digital that he stands by his reporting, noting the threats he’s received online, which include violent language and slurs. “It was notable that I was cast as the face of the protests I was covering as a journalist,” he remarked, emphasizing the unfounded targeting by some right-wing outlets.
Reflecting on the situation, he expressed, “If we’re going to spend all this time and energy creating anger, that time would be far better spent investigating the tragic death of Renee Nicole Good, the problem that brought people to the streets in the first place. I stand by my reporting.”
On the same day as Lemon’s court appearance, Nekima Levy Armstrong, an activist involved in the protests, is also expected to be in court.
