Don Lemon, the independent news commentator often in the spotlight for his firings, has drawn criticism from the Justice Department for supposedly participating in an anti-ICE protest that disrupted services at a church in St. Paul.
Harmeet Dhillon, the assistant attorney general for civil rights, expressed her disapproval on X, stating, “Houses of worship are not public spaces for protest! They are protected by federal law from such disruptions.” She added that the First Amendment doesn’t shield journalism that hampers worship, warning Lemon that he was “on notice.” Additionally, she mentioned that the FBI had been “activated” and accused the protesters of “desecrating” places of worship and interrupting Christian attendees.
Lemon, who has been covering the protests sparked by the Renee Good shooting, entered the church alongside the protesters as chaos unfolded, recording the scene. He has brushed off calls for prosecution, asserting that his actions are safeguarded by the First Amendment.
He responded to critics, particularly from the MAGA camp, by claiming he has “no connection” to them and defending his involvement as “an act of journalism.” On that Sunday morning, numerous protesters charged into Cities Church, shouting “ICE out!” Lemon appeared to believe that the church’s pastor, David Easterwood, was affiliated with federal immigration efforts—an assertion he echoed on the left-leaning platform Blue Sky.
While it’s true that a David Easterwood is the acting ICE director in St. Paul, it’s unclear if he’s the same individual leading Cities Church.
Lemon interviewed Jonathan Parnell, the senior pastor, who referred to the protests as “disgraceful.” In defense of his position, Lemon asserted, “We have a Constitution and a First Amendment right to freedom of speech, assembly, and protest.”
He had previously defended free speech during a 2024 interview with Elon Musk, where Musk encouraged him to take down some “hateful” memes, but, citing legality, refused to do so.
