Don Lemon Arrested Following ‘Church Invasion’ Incident in Minneapolis

Former CNN anchor Don Lemon was arrested Friday in Los Angeles by federal agents while covering The Grammy Awards, according to law-enforcement sources, in connection with his alleged involvement in a January protest that disrupted a church service in St. Paul, Minnesota.

The arrest stems from a January 18 demonstration inside Cities Church, where anti-immigration-enforcement activists interrupted a worship service, alarming congregants and halting religious proceedings. Lemon, who now styles himself as an “independent journalist,” livestreamed the incident and was captured on video interacting with protesters and church members, according to the Daily Mail.

“He has been charged with conspiracy to deprive rights and with a violation of the FACE act, interfering by force of someone’s First Amendment right” to worship freely and without intimidation, the outlet reported.

While a federal magistrate judge in Minnesota declined last week to immediately sign a criminal complaint against Lemon—citing insufficient probable cause at that early stage—the ruling did not foreclose future charges. Prosecutors continued pursuing formal indictments as the investigation advanced.

Lemon’s legal team has framed the arrest as political retaliation. Attorney Abbe Lowell denounced the action as a threat to press freedom, arguing Lemon was present solely in a journalistic capacity.

Lemon himself has claimed he attended the protest only to document it and played no role in organizing or leading the disruption—assertions federal authorities appear to dispute based on video evidence and witness accounts.

The protest unfolded amid rising tensions over immigration enforcement in Minnesota, where demonstrations have escalated in recent weeks following expanded federal operations under President Donald J. Trump’s second-term administration. Activists have increasingly targeted churches and public spaces in an effort to oppose Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) activity.

As of Friday evening, Lemon remained in federal custody in Los Angeles pending further proceedings. Lowell later issued a formal statement defending his client.

“Don has been a journalist for 30 years, and his constitutionally protected work in Minneapolis was no different than what he has always done,” he said. “The First Amendment exists to protect journalists whose role it is to shine light on the truth and hold those in power accountable. There is no more important time for people like Don to be doing this work.”

Lowell also falsely suggested federal officials were selectively targeting Lemon while failing to investigate Border Patrol agents placed on leave after the fatal shooting of Minneapolis agitator Alex Pretti. Department of Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem has publicly stated that the agents are undergoing the same internal investigative process applied in all comparable cases.

Meanwhile, Attorney General Pam Bondi has made clear that the Department of Justice will not back down from enforcing federal law when places of worship are targeted—regardless of media status or political affiliation.

Appearing on Fox News last week, Bondi reaffirmed the administration’s position: “If you protested and went into that church on Sunday, and you terrorized the parishioners, we are coming after you,” she said, emphasizing that no individual is “above the law.”

“If you protested and went into that church on Sunday, and you terrorized the parishioners, we are coming after you… I don’t care who you are, if you’re a failed CNN journalist, you have no right to do that in this country. We don’t live in a third-world country. We’re going to protect our houses of worship in this country,” she told host Sean Hannity.

Bondi also confirmed that three additional individuals—Nekima Levy Armstrong, Chauntyll Louisa Allen, and William Kelly—were arrested this week in connection with the same incident. Although charging documents have not yet been released, a Biden-appointed federal judge ordered them unsealed after determining the suspects did not pose a flight risk.