Journalist Don Lemon was taken into custody by federal agents early Friday morning in Los Angeles, an arrest tied to his coverage of a Jan. 18 protest inside a Minnesota church and one that has prompted alarm among journalists and free press advocates.
According to the Associated Press, Lemon was arrested while in Los Angeles, where he had been covering the Grammy Awards. His attorney, Abbe Lowell, said Lemon was taken into custody by federal agents. It remains unclear what charge or charges Lemon is facing in connection with the Jan. 18 protest. The arrest came after a magistrate judge last week rejected prosecutors’ initial bid to charge the journalist.
The incident at the center of the case took place on Jan. 18, when anti ICE protesters entered Cities Church in St. Paul during a service. Protesters said one of the church’s pastors is the acting field director of the St. Paul ICE field office. During the protest, demonstrators interrupted the service and chanted “ICE out” and “Justice for Renee Good.”
Lemon was present inside the church as a reporter. He interviewed the pastor and documented events as they occurred. Lemon has said he has no affiliation with the organization that entered the church and that he was there as a journalist chronicling protesters. He was not initially charged in connection with the incident.
Attorney General Pam Bondi later said on social media that Lemon and three others were arrested early Friday “at my direction” “in connection with the coordinated attack on Cities Church.” At least three additional individuals had previously been arrested in relation to the protest.
Lowell said last week that prosecutors attempted to bring charges against Lemon but were turned away by a magistrate judge. A source told ABC News that Bondi was “enraged” by the decision not to charge the journalist. Lemon’s arrest followed shortly afterward.
In a statement released after Lemon was detained, Lowell defended his client’s conduct and emphasized constitutional protections. “Don has been a journalist for 30 years, and his constitutionally protected work in Minneapolis was no different than what he has always done,” Lowell said. “The First Amendment exists to protect journalists whose role it is to shine light on the truth and hold those in power accountable.”
Lowell added that Lemon “will fight these charges vigorously and thoroughly in court.”
In additional remarks cited by ABC News, Lowell criticized the Justice Department’s priorities. “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 case,” he said. Lowell described the arrest as an “attempt to distract attention from the many crises facing this administration.” He also called it an “unprecedented attack on the First Amendment.”
The arrest drew swift condemnation from journalists and academics. Jemele Hill, a staff writer with The Atlantic, said, “They arrested Don Lemon. This is horrifying.” She added, “I don’t care what your political beliefs or leanings are, what journalism outlet you represent, this absolutely cannot stand.”
Jim Acosta, who previously worked with Lemon at CNN, also reacted to the arrest, saying, “The First Amendment is under attack in America!”
Victor Ray, an associate professor of sociology at the University of Iowa, said the case reflected a broader threat to journalism. “I’m not a huge Don Lemon fan, but this is totalitarian nonsense meant to threaten anyone who reports on the regime’s horrors,” Ray said.
Bondi’s public framing of the case has centered on the claim that the incident at Cities Church constituted a coordinated attack rather than an event covered by journalists. Her statement that the arrests were ordered “at my direction” has drawn scrutiny from press freedom advocates who argue that reporting activity is being treated as criminal conduct.
Lemon, who was fired from CNN in 2023, has continued working independently as a journalist. His attorney has said Lemon will contest the charges, though prosecutors have not publicly detailed the legal basis for the arrest or explained how they intend to distinguish Lemon’s reporting from the actions of protesters.
As of Friday, court records detailing the rejected charging attempt had not been released publicly, leaving unanswered questions about the legal theory behind the case and its implications for journalists covering protests involving law enforcement or immigration enforcement.
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