Former CNN Host Defends Protests at Church

On a recent broadcast, former CNN anchor Don Lemon spoke in defense of left-wing protesters who interrupted an evangelical church service in Minneapolis. The disruption was prompted by the belief that the pastor had connections to Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE).

The protests in the Minneapolis-St. Paul area coincided with increasing backlash against ICE, particularly after an incident where an ICE officer was ambushed by three undocumented immigrants, one sustaining injuries. This situation follows the shooting of Renee Nicole Good by an ICE agent during a planned immigration operation back in January. During the six-and-a-half-hour program, Lemon presented footage of the protests, including the demonstrators arriving at Cities Church.

“Everyone must be willing to sacrifice something to save democracy,” Lemon wrote in a TikTok post, which featured a video of the scene in Minneapolis.

As the livestream continued, Lemon detailed how the church service was disrupted when protesters began chanting “Justice for Renee Good.”

Additional video footage, reportedly recorded by the ICE officer involved in the incident, shows Good disregarding commands to exit her vehicle before reversing and ultimately accelerating toward the officer, spurred on by her girlfriend’s encouragement to drive away. The girlfriend is currently under investigation by the Justice Department for allegedly obstructing federal law enforcement.

At one point during the broadcast, Lemon noted, “You can see these protesters gathered here. They’re right in the middle of the church.” He described a moment when a protester approached and tried to convey their message, prompting a gathering of demonstrators. “I just found out that one of the pastors here is a member of ICE,” Lemon relayed.

Lemon defended the protesters’ actions, likening them to civil rights activists. “This is just the beginning of what we might see. When people’s rights are violated—when they’re removed from the streets and harmed—people are going to get angry,” he asserted. “The civil rights movement has always included this type of protest.”

He argued that there’s no genuine right to protest against such demonstrations, pointing out that the Constitution protects the right to protest at any time. “The aim is to create discomfort and confusion,” he added.

On a related note, Assistant Attorney General for Civil Rights Harmeet Dhillon announced that the Department of Justice has opened an investigation into the incident.

In response, White House press secretary Abigail Jackson criticized the actions of local officials. “Jacob Frey and Tim Walz unleashed chaos in Minneapolis,” she said. “They should be ashamed, but the Trump administration will continue to enforce the law regardless.”

On the same day, a left-wing group targeted counter-protesters who were supporting ICE, with provocateur Jake Lang among them. Lang observed the chaos and was reportedly stabbed during the encounter; however, he sustained no serious injuries because he was wearing a bulletproof vest. He later posted on social media about being hospitalized for head injuries.