Former CNN anchor Don Lemon vowed to remain outspoken after his arrest tied to a protest that disrupted a church service in Minnesota. He and fellow journalist Georgia Fort face federal charges but insist they were only reporting on the anti-ICE demonstration. The case has sparked debate over press freedoms and religious rights.
The incident unfolded earlier in January 2026 at the Cities Church in St. Paul, Minnesota, where a U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement official serves as pastor. Protesters interrupted a Sunday service, leading to federal charges against independent journalists Don Lemon and Georgia Fort for allegedly participating in the disruption.
Lemon, a former CNN anchor, and Fort, a Minnesota reporter, were arrested and released from federal custody on January 30, 2026, outside a Los Angeles federal court. Both maintain they were present solely to cover the anti-ICE protest as journalists. Video footage shows Lemon conferring with protesters before their entry, but he denies involvement beyond reporting.
A federal grand jury indicted them, citing probable cause that Lemon entered the church with the "first wave of agitators" and engaged in behavior that "oppressed, threatened, and intimidated" congregants by occupying aisles, chanting, yelling, and obstructing movement. However, a federal magistrate judge initially declined to approve Lemon's arrest due to a lack of evidence, and the chief federal appeals court judge in Minnesota rejected a prosecutor's appeal, stating there was "no evidence" of criminal behavior.
On his YouTube show, Lemon declared, "I ain’t even worried about that," adding, "I will not be silenced." He promised to be even more outspoken, saying, "Just wait." Fort told CNN's Anderson Cooper the arrests send a "chilling message" to journalists and that she will "continue to tell the stories of my community."
In a Sunday interview on ABC's "This Week," Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche defended the charges, noting the appellate court and grand jury found clear probable cause. He argued the disruption violated First Amendment rights to free exercise of religion, questioning if Lemon's actions constituted "independent journalism."
President Trump commented aboard Air Force One, calling Lemon a "sleazebag" and "washed up," but said he had no prior knowledge of the arrest.
Attorneys for both vowed vigorous defenses, with Lemon's lawyer Abbe Lowell calling it an "unprecedented attack on the First Amendment." The conflicting judicial views highlight tensions between press protections and public order.
