Don Lemon, a former NCS journalist, was arrested on federal fees early Friday morning in reference to an anti-ICE protest at a Minnesota church earlier this month.
The incident occurred on Jan. 18 when protesters got here into Cities Church in St. Paul. The protesters selected that church as a result of one of many pastors is the performing subject director for the St. Paul ICE subject workplace, in line with ABC News.
An just lately launched affidavit from the FBI suggests parishioners felt involved about their youngsters who had been in youngster care through the protest, and contains allegations the protesters blocked parishioners had been blocked from reaching their children.
There had been additionally studies of protesters confronting youngsters and saying “do you know your parents are Nazis, they’re going to burn in hell,” in line with the affidavit.
U.S. Attorney General Pam Bondi stated on social media that Lemon was arrested early Friday “at my direction.” He and three others had been arrested “in connection with the coordinated attack on Cities Church,” she wrote.
Lemon was arrested together with Georgia Fort, one other journalist; Trahern Jeen Crews and Jamael Lydell Lundy, an activist identified for being a frontrunner within the Black Lives Matter motion, per NBC News.
At least three different individuals had been beforehand arrested in reference to the protest.
Abbe Lowell, Lemon’s lawyer, stated final week that fees towards Lemon had been rejected by a Justice of the Peace decide. Lowell shared that Lemon was arrested by federal brokers in Los Angeles whereas protecting the Grammy Awards, per ABC News.
The lawyer additionally stated the journalist’s arrest was an “unprecedented attack on the First Amendment” and that Lemon will battle the fees in courtroom.
Why had been Lemon and others arrested?
During the demonstration, the protesters interrupted a service on the church whereas chanting “ICE out,” in line with information studies. Following the incident, the Justice Department drew up a criminal complaint to cost eight individuals, together with Lemon. The grievance cited a legislation that protects people who find themselves taking part in a service in a home of worship.
The proof was reviewed by a federal Justice of the Peace decide, who accepted fees towards three individuals, Nekima Levy Armstrong, Chauntyll Allen and William Kelly. The decide wouldn’t signal arrest warrants for Lemon and the others arrested on Friday, saying there was inadequate proof.
The Justice Department went to a federal appeals courtroom to ask the chief decide in Federal District Court in Minneapolis situation the extra arrest warrants; the request was denied.
The protesters and Lemon face two felony fees: interfering with somebody’s spiritual freedom in a home of worship and conspiring to deprive rights. Lemon is scheduled to look in federal courtroom later Friday in Los Angeles.
The New York Times reported that the prosecution will doubtless obtain pushback from the protection on grounds of the First Amendment.
Lemon and Fort, the opposite journalist, stated they entered the church to cowl the protest towards the federal authorities’s immigration crackdown in Minnesota.
James Blair, a deputy White House chief of employees, posted on social media on Friday, saying {that a} federal grand jury had indicted Lemon. Fort shared a video on-line the place she stated that she had additionally been indicted.
Lemon and his lawyer communicate out towards the arrest
“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 stated in a press release, per ABC News. “The First Amendment exists to protect journalists whose role it is to shine light on the truth and hold those in power accountable.”
Lowell referred to as the arrest an “attempt to distract attention from the many crises facing this administration.”
Lemon will doubtless problem the case with the argument that he was protecting the occasion as a journalist and was not protesting.
“Once the protest started in the church, we did an act of journalism, which was report on it and talk to the people involved, including the pastor, members of the church and members of the organization,” Lemon stated in a latest video, per The New York Times. “That’s it. That’s called journalism.”
FBI affidavit exhibits how parishioners felt through the protest
The affidavit from the FBI in assist of arrest warrants for these concerned within the protest contains testimony that protesters blocked individuals from leaving the constructing and going to retrieve their youngsters from youngster care.
One of the victims instructed FBI brokers that the church’s aisles are already slender, however the demonstrators who occupied the middle of the church made it virtually inconceivable for churchgoers to depart.
Another individual shared concern that the protesters may have had weapons beneath their jackets. There had been additionally studies of protesters being aggressive and threatening towards the parishioners.
Agents had been instructed that parishioners tried to go downstairs to get their youngsters from the kid care space, however the demonstrators had been blocking the steps, stopping them from reaching their children.
Who is Don Lemon?
Lemon at the moment works as an impartial journalist and has his personal present on YouTube, per The New York Times. He labored for NCS for 17 years and left the community in 2023 amid criticism that he made sexist feedback.
He was identified for being a host on NCS beginning in 2014.
The 59-year-old has been a critic of President Donald Trump since his first time period and infrequently calls the president a liar.