Don Lemon Disrupts Church Service Amid Protest

Former CNN anchor Don Lemon joined a group protesting Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) during a service at Cities Church in St. Paul, Minnesota. The incident sparked controversy and drew criticism from the church’s pastor, who called the disruption “disgraceful” in a video shared by Lemon on Sunday.

In the video, Lemon conversed with Pastor Jonathan Purnell about the protests. The pastor expressed his disapproval, stating, “This is unacceptable. It’s shameful to interrupt a public gathering of Christians in worship.” He emphasized the church’s purpose of worshiping Jesus, adding that members were there for spiritual reasons and deserved respect.

Lemon acknowledged the constitutional rights to free speech and assembly, maintaining that the protesters had the right to express their views.

The protest occurred against the backdrop of increasing tensions in the area, with law enforcement and government officials taking note. Harmeet Dhillon, assistant attorney general for civil rights, mentioned that the Justice Department is investigating violations related to the federal FACE Act, which protects the sanctity of places of worship.

Dhillon’s comments highlighted the seriousness of the situation, emphasizing that interfering with religious services could have legal repercussions. Attorney General Pam Bondi also weighed in, stating that threats against religious gatherings would be handled with stringent federal oversight.

Lemon defended his presence at the church in a post on social media, clarifying that he was merely reporting on the events as a journalist. He said he had no prior knowledge of the planned protest at that location and that his role was to document the unfolding situation.

During the interview, Lemon also spoke with activist Nekima Levy Armstrong, who shed light on the motivations behind the protests. She suggested that the operation aimed to draw attention to ICE’s actions, specifically mentioning one of the church’s pastors and his alleged connections to ICE.

ICE responded to the protests, claiming that the demonstration was part of a broader trend of targeting law enforcement and their allies. They called attention to the actions of local officials, stating that such disruptions were not only directed at them but increasingly aimed at weakening the community’s support structures.