Journalist Don Lemon was arrested in reference to an anti-immigration protest that disrupted a service at a Minnesota church, his lawyer mentioned Friday.
Lemon was arrested by federal brokers in Los Angeles, the place he had been protecting the Grammy Awards, legal professional Abbe Lowell mentioned.
Lemon’s arrest got here after a Justice of the Peace decide final week rejected prosecutors’ preliminary bid to cost the journalist.
Lemon was amongst 4 folks arrested Friday morning, FBI Director Kash Patel said in a social media post.
It is unclear what cost or fees Lemon is going through within the Jan. 18 protest, which occurred between two deadly shootings dedicated by brokers of the federal authorities in Minneapolis, as a part of the operation by U.S. President Donald Trump’s administration to arrest people not licensed to reside within the nation.
The two individuals killed have been U.S. residents and bystanders, whereas a 3rd particular person was shot within the leg in a separate incident.
Lemon, who was fired from NCS in 2023 after 17 years on the community, has mentioned he has no affiliation to the group that went into the church and that he was there as a journalist chronicling protesters.
“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 mentioned in an announcement. “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 “Don will fight these charges vigorously and thoroughly in court.”
4th particular person arrested
A outstanding civil rights legal professional and two different folks concerned within the protest have been arrested earlier than Lemon final week after disrupting a service on the Cities Church in St. Paul, the place a neighborhood official with U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement serves as a pastor.
The U.S. Justice Department launched a civil rights investigation after the group interrupted companies by chanting “ICE out” and “Justice for Renee Good,” referring to the 37-year-old mom of three who was fatally shot on Jan. 7 by an ICE officer in Minneapolis.
“Listen loud and clear: WE DO NOT TOLERATE ATTACKS ON PLACES OF WORSHIP,” Attorney General Pam Bondi wrote in social media submit final week.
Civil rights legal professional Nekima Levy Armstrong, Chauntyll Louisa Allen and William Kelly have been every charged with conspiracy towards rights for allegedly intimidating and harassing parishioners, in accordance with a felony criticism.
The White House drew criticism for altering a photograph of the civil rights of Armstrong in a social media submit that trumpeted her arrest.
Cities Church belongs to the Southern Baptist Convention and lists certainly one of its pastors as David Easterwood, who leads an ICE subject workplace.
The U.S. has a protracted historical past of protests inside locations of worship, however non secular congregations have tightened security protocols in recent times as lethal assaults on homes of worship and security considerations have intensified. Two youngsters were killed at a church shooting in Minneapolis final August.
The Justice Department’s swift investigation into the church disruption stands in distinction to its choice to not open a civil rights investigation into Good’s killing by an ICE officer. The division has not mentioned whether or not it should open a civil rights probe into the Jan. 24 killing of 37-year-old Alex Pretti by federal officers.
Funding turns into a flashpoint
“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 mentioned.
The federal authorities’s Operation Metro Surge has led to protests elsewhere within the U.S. along with Minnesota, and the funding of the Department of Homeland Security has been a flashpoint in discussions to keep away from a partial authorities shutdown starting this weekend.
Trump, relationship again to his first presidential marketing campaign in 2016, has lashed out at Lemon on social media in response to information protection, referring to him because the “dumbest man on television.”
Several individuals who Trump has felt antagonized by, primarily politicians and officers, have confronted indictment or the specter of prosecution up to now in his second, non-consecutive presidential time period.
Democrats in Congress have accused the Justice Department of casting apart earlier guardrails of independence to do the bidding of Trump, who promised “retribution” in his 2024 presidential marketing campaign.
The high-powered Lowell, who prior to now served as legal professional for the president’s daughter, Ivanka Trump, is at present representing New York State Attorney General Letitia James, Federal Reserve board member Lisa Cook and ex-Homeland Security staffer Miles Taylor. Each has been the goal of a Justice Department probe.
As It Happens6:49Minnesota’s legal professional normal says he fears for his spouse, neighbours
Minnesota Attorney General Keith Ellison accused the Trump administration of “extortion” for demanding the state hand over voter knowledge because it continues its lethal immigration enforcement actions within the state. Ellison advised As It Happens host Nil Köksal that the presence of hundreds of ICE brokers in Minnesota has his neighbours, and his authorized immigrant spouse, dwelling in concern.
New probes introduced
The Trump administration has been criticized for prejudging the deadly shootings, and days after the Good capturing, Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche mentioned it didn’t meet the necessities for a civil rights investigation
The Department of Homeland Security on Thursday mentioned that the Federal Bureau of Investigation is now heading the investigation into the capturing dying of Pretti. The division mentioned earlier this week that Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), a unit inside the division, can be heading the investigation.
U.S. President Donald Trump’s border czar Tom Homan says immigration enforcement operations in Minneapolis must be safer and extra focused. The change in tone comes after persistent unrest and the killing of two Americans by federal brokers.
Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem mentioned throughout an interview with Fox News on Thursday that the FBI was within the lead. Tricia McLaughlin, a spokesperson for the division, mentioned Friday in an electronic mail that HSI will assist them.
Separately, Customs and Border Protection is doing its personal inside investigation.
Homeland Security didn’t instantly reply to questions on when the change was made or why.
Trump earlier this week dispatched his border czar, Tom Homan, to Minneapolis, with controversial Customs and Border Patrol official Greg Bovino leaving the state after having made quite a lot of incendiary feedback.
Homan mentioned Thursday he needed ICE and CBP brokers to give attention to strategic operations concentrating on felony offenders. Agents have been accused of randomly stopping folks on the road to demand documented proof of authorized U.S. residence or citizenship and fascinating with protesters.
Homan made point out of a possible drawdown of the scale of the administration’s contingent in Minnesota, however there have been no particular bulletins on that entrance.
When requested by a reporter Thursday evening if the administration was “pulling back” in Minnesota, Trump responded: “No, no. Not at all.”