Disgraced ex-NCS anchor Don Lemon was arrested in Los Angeles early Friday over the anti-ICE protest that stormed a Minneapolis church during Sunday service, in line with his legal professional and US Attorney General Pamela Bondi.
“Don Lemon was taken into custody by federal agents … in Los Angeles, where he was covering the Grammy awards,” Lemon’s legal professional Abbe Lowell stated in an announcement shared with a number of reporters.
He was one among 4 folks arrested by federal agents early Friday “in connection with the coordinated attack on Cities Church in St. Paul, Minnesota,” Bondi later confirmed in an announcement.
Lemon spent the evening in jail and is anticipated to make a primary look in courtroom someday Friday, in line with Brian Stelter, the chief media analyst for Lemon’s former community.
The US Attorney’s Office in California will deal with Lemon’s bond listening to, which is anticipated at 2 p.m. native time Friday. The expenses in opposition to him stay sealed.
His legal professional maintained that the steadily fired correspondent was in Minneapolis as a journalist, making it “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,” stated Lowell, who additionally represented disgraced former first son Hunter Biden.
“Don will fight these charges vigorously and thoroughly in court.”
Lemon, 59, was a part of a gaggle of dozens of protesters who disrupted Sunday worship at Cities Church in St. Paul on Jan. 18.
The others arrested Friday included award-winning journalist Georgia Fort.
It was not instantly clear what expenses he’s going through. However, Lemon has been accused of violating the Enforcement Act of 1871, which bans interference with sure civil rights, reminiscent of voting or serving on juries — or, on this case, the precise to follow one’s faith.
Also often known as the Ku Klux Klan Act, it was initially created to forestall the racial terrorist group from paramilitary vigilantism.
Initially, Lemon tried to get out of going through felony conspiracy expenses by claiming he was “committing journalism” whereas participating within the church disruption, Assistant Attorney General for Civil Rights Harmeet Dhillon informed conservative podcaster Benny Johnson on Tuesday.
“Whenever anyone conspires to violate the protected civil rights of American citizens, the Klan Act can be used to bring a conspiracy charge,” she stated.
Dhillon has additionally stated the DOJ was contemplating charging Lemon below the Freedom of Access to Clinic Entrances Act, a 1994 federal regulation that additionally covers interference with non secular worship, in addition to conspiracy statutes.
Just final week, a three-judge panel in a federal appellate courtroom unanimously denied a request by the Trump administration to take Lemon and other protesters into custody.
One of the judges, Trump appointee Steven Graz, stated he felt there was possible trigger to justify the arrests however stated in an announcement the “government has failed to establish that it has no other adequate means of obtaining the requested relief.”
The Justice Department withdrew its request Monday for Minnesota Chief US District Judge Patrick Schiltz to challenge arrests warrants.
They had been charged by a grand jury on Thursday, in line with CBS News.
While he’s denied being a part of the demonstrators, video posted by Lemon himself before, during and after the church takeover confirmed he was very a lot a part of the group, below the guise of “chronicling” the occasion as a reporter.
Before the group barged into the home of worship, Lemon filmed a section admitting he had completed some “reconnaissance” with the activists, which included members of Minnesota Black Lives Matter, who had been milling about in a car parking zone a couple of toes away.
“They’re planning an operation we’re going to follow them on. I can’t tell you exactly what they’re doing, but it’s called Operation Pull-Up,” he stated.
“So that’s what we’re doing here, and after we do this operation, you’ll see it live, these operations are surprise operations. Again, I can’t tell you where they’re going,” he stated.
The DOJ had initially sought to cost eight folks, together with Lemon, in reference to the demonstration, however a Justice of the Peace decide solely signed off on expenses in opposition to three protesters and directed the feds to hunt a grand jury indictment of the rest.
Local Black Lives Matter chief Chauntyll Louisa Allen, Nekima Levy Armstrong and William Kelly had been each charged with conspiracy in opposition to rights by interfering with others’ freedom to worship.