Former CNN host Don Lemon pleaded not guilty in a federal court in Minnesota to charges related to his alleged involvement in an anti-ICE protest that disrupted a church service in St. Paul last month. He was arrested in Los Angeles and faces accusations of conspiracy to violate religious freedom and breaches of the FACE Act. Lemon maintains his actions were protected under the First Amendment as journalism.
On Friday, Don Lemon appeared in federal court in Minnesota alongside Nekima Levy Armstrong and three other defendants, pleading not guilty to charges stemming from an incident at Cities Church in St. Paul. The disruption occurred during a Sunday service last month, when a group of anti-ICE agitators interrupted the proceedings, reportedly terrorizing congregants.
Lemon livestreamed the event on what he called the Don Lemon Show, accompanying the group from their preparations. In the video, he described the operation as a 'secret' and stated, '[I] can’t tell you what is going to happen, but you’re going to watch it live unfold here on the Don Lemon Show.' He turned off the camera at one point, saying he did so because 'they’re giving some critical information here.' Lemon thanked Armstrong, who is charged with leading the mob, and kissed her on the cheek, saying, 'How are you? Good to see you... We’re on, we’re not saying what it is, what’s going on, but thank you.'
During the service, the group loudly interrupted, leading to distress among worshippers. Lemon acknowledged this, noting, 'I’m looking at a young man who’s in the corner. He’s frightened. He’s scared, he’s crying. People are leaving church.' Outside, he pointed to a father hugging his distraught child and said, 'You have to make people uncomfortable in these times... That is what this country is about.' He confronted the pastor, invoking the First Amendment: 'Listen, we live in a — there’s a Constitution and the First Amendment to freedom of speech and freedom to assemble and protest.' The pastor asked him to leave.
Lemon engaged parishioners, telling some, 'I’m just here photographing, I’m a journalist,' and 'We’re here just chronicling and reporting. We’re not part of the activist, but we’re here just reporting on them.' One parishioner accused him of posing 'as a journalist.' After the event, Lemon said, 'What I said was going to happen happened. We could not tell you, you know, what it was.'
Federal authorities arrested Lemon in Los Angeles late last month, charging him with conspiracy to violate the right of religious freedom at a house of worship and violations of the FACE Act, which prohibits disrupting worship services. His attorney, Abbe Lowell, requested the return of Lemon's phone, seized during the arrest and held by the Department of Homeland Security under a sealed search warrant.
Renee Carlson, general counsel for True North Legal representing Cities Church, stated, 'By pleading not guilty, Don Lemon and other defendants are doubling down on their claim that the press can do whatever they want under the auspices of journalism... The First Amendment does not protect premeditated schemes to violate the sanctity of a sanctuary, disrupt worship services, or intimidate children.' Lemon has been released from custody and continues to fight the charges, asserting First Amendment protections.
