Former CNN anchor Don Lemon was arrested by federal agents late Thursday after joining a group of anti-ICE agitators in disrupting Sunday service at a St. Paul church earlier this month.
Lemon was covering the Grammy Awards in Los Angeles when he was taken into custody.
"At my direction, early this morning federal agents arrested Don Lemon, Trahern Jeen Crews, Georgia Fort, and Jamael Lydell Lundy, in connection with the coordinated attack on Cities Church in St. Paul, Minnesota,” Attorney General Pam Bondi said in a Friday morning announcement.
It remains unclear exactly what Lemon is being charged with. The Department of Justice did not immediately respond to National Review‘s request for comment.
Lemon’s attorney, Abbe Lowell, who also previously represented Hunter Biden, argues that because Lemon was at the scene as a journalist, his involvement was “constitutionally protected work.”
“The First Amendment exists to protect journalists whose role it is to shine light on the truth and hold those in power accountable,” Lowell said.
Lemon posted videos documenting the protest in the church and filmed alongside protesters. Lemon even explained to the camera that the activists were calling the event “Operation Pull-Up.”
“Instead of investigating the federal agents who killed two peaceful Minnesota protesters, the Trump Justice Department is devoting its time, attention and resources to this arrest, and that is the real indictment of wrongdoing in this case,” Lowell said in a statement. “Don will fight these charges vigorously and thoroughly in court.”
Multiple people have been arrested in connection with the protest at Cities Church.
Bondi previously announced that Chauntyll Louisa Allen, Nekima Levy Armstrong, and William Kelly were also arrested for their involvement.
Following the anti-ICE protest, the Minnesota-Wisconsin Baptist Convention said the interruption was “an unacceptable trauma” as protesters were yelling “insults and accusations at youth, children, and families.”
Minnesota Governor Tim Walz’s office said in a statement following the protest that while he supports people’s right to gather and protest, he does not condone interrupting and disturbing places of worship.
Lemon said he has no affiliation with the group that executed the January 18 protest.
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