Former CNN anchor Don Lemon was indicted on Friday, entering a plea of not guilty concerning charges linked to the disruption of a Minnesota church by anti-ICE protesters.
Last month, he faced accusations of conspiracy to infringe upon religious freedoms and violations of the FACE Act, after it was claimed that the pastor of St. Paul Cities Church collaborated with U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) by broadcasting an aggressive protest aimed at the church.
Interestingly, prosecutors opted not to ask for his detention. Lemon appeared in front of Judge Douglas L. Micco at the Warren E. Berger Federal Building and courthouse, where standard release conditions were set, which includes staying clear of any legal infractions.
Lemon faces charges alongside activists William Kelly and Nekima Levy Armstrong, who are alleged to have helped orchestrate the protest. He insists that he is just a journalist, not affiliated with any group that harasses church patrons. His legal team includes Abby Lowell—who previously worked with Hunter Biden—and Joe Thompson, known for his role in a significant food fraud case involving the Somali community in the state, although he resigned from the U.S. Attorney’s Office this January.
During the protest, Lemon described his actions as part of a “secret mission.” He stated, “To effect change, you have to disrupt and make people uncomfortable. That’s, I think, what this country stands for.”
The federal affidavit reveals that participants at the event not only disrupted services but also “intimidated, harassed, oppressed, and terrorized parishioners, including young children.” Accounts from church members indicate that parents struggled to retrieve children from the nursery due to blocked exits, with some fearing that the demonstrators were armed.
After his indictment, Lemon’s online following soared, and he made an appearance on “Jimmy Kimmel Live!” He also gained recognition at the Grammy Awards and continued to broadcast “The Don Lemon Show” on YouTube, ahead of his court appearance, claiming, “This is bigger than me. This is about the First Amendment and the freedom of the press.”
The FACE Act treats using or threatening force against individuals seeking reproductive health services or practicing their First Amendment rights in a religious context as a federal crime, with substantial fines and imprisonment as potential penalties for those actions.
Details are still emerging in this ongoing story…
