Members of a church have filed a civil lawsuit against Don Lemon, a left-leaning news commentator, for his alleged role in an anti-ICE protest that reportedly disrupted services at a Minnesota church last month.
Lemon, who is 59, was apprehended in Los Angeles after reportedly being part of a takeover of Cities Church in St. Paul on January 18. This event involved multiple local Black Lives Matter activists and occurred under the pretense of journalism.
Anne Doucette, who is bringing the lawsuit, asserts that the demonstrators’ actions during a Sunday service—filled with families—caused her “severe emotional distress, fear, anxiety, and trauma,” infringing upon her right to practice her faith freely.
The lawsuit, as reported, also names other protesters accused of disrupting the church service. The complaint alleges that Lemon had connections to these individuals who offered logistical support for the protest.
While streaming the event live on his show, he allegedly “seemed content” amidst the turmoil, according to the lawsuit.
During the Grammy Awards coverage on January 30, Lemon was arrested. He maintains that he was merely exercising his First Amendment rights while documenting the demonstrations.
However, he faces charges for conspiracy to violate religious freedom rights in a place of worship, as well as charges related to harming and obstructing those rights.
Lemon has pleaded not guilty to both charges and publicly criticized what he calls “baseless accusations” outside the Minneapolis courthouse.
He expressed determination to fight the charges and stated, “The process is a punishment.” He reassured Minnesotans of his intent to stand firm against intimidation.
The protestors targeted the church, led by Pastor David Eastwood, who is involved with ICE’s removal operations in St. Paul.
Since the arrests of Lemon and nine others linked to the protests, he has underscored how worshippers seemed unable to comprehend his journalistic role amidst the chaos.
Lemon remarked, “I think they might have been confused because most protesters were black, and perhaps they thought I was part of them. I kept clarifying, ‘I’m not a protester. I’m just here to cover this.’” He noted that there seemed to be a misunderstanding.
If found guilty, Lemon could face a prison sentence of up to ten years.
The amount of damages Doucette intends to pursue in the lawsuit remains unspecified.
