Three people, including American journalist Don Lemon, were arrested Friday in connection with anti-immigrant demonstrations that disrupted church services in Minnesota and heightened tensions between residents and the Trump administration, officials said.
Lemon was arrested by federal agents in Los Angeles while covering the Grammy Awards, said attorney Abby Rowell.
It’s unclear what charges the Lemons are facing in connection with the Jan. 18 protest at Cities Church in St. Paul.
Lemon’s arrest came after a magistrate last week rejected prosecutors’ initial charges.
Lemon, who was fired from CNN in 2023, said he was not affiliated with the organization that entered the church and was there as a journalist documenting protesters.
“Don has been a journalist for 30 years, and his constitutionally protected work in Minneapolis will never be any different,” Lowell said in a statement.
“The First Amendment exists to protect journalists in their role in shining a light on the truth and holding those in power accountable.”
Attorney General Pam Bondi posted on social media Friday morning confirming the arrests of Lemon and others who were participating in a protest at a church pastored by local officials from U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement.
“At my direction, early this morning, federal agents arrested Don Lemon, Traherne Gene Cruz, Georgia Fort, and Jamael Rydell Lundy in connection with the coordinated attack on the Cities Church in St. Paul, Minnesota,” Bondi said in a statement.
Since leaving CNN, Lemon has started his own business and joined the legion of journalists who regularly post on YouTube.
He makes no secret of his disdain for Trump. But during an online program from the church, he reiterated, “I’m not here as an activist. I’m here as a journalist.” He described the scene before him and interviewed church attendees and demonstrators.
Shortly after the first attempt to prosecute him failed, he predicted on his show that the administration would try again.
“So, guess what? I’m here. Keep trying. That doesn’t stop me from being a journalist. It doesn’t diminish my voice. Go ahead and make me the new Jimmy Kimmel if you like. Just do it. I’m not going anywhere.”
Georgia Fort, a local independent journalist, live-streamed the moments before the arrest on Facebook Live on Friday, saying, “Investigators are at the door right now,” with an arrest warrant and grand jury indictment.
“I don’t think I understand the First Amendment properly as a member of the press because federal agents arrested me for filming a church protest a few weeks ago,” Fort said, adding that she knew she was on a sealed list of defendants.
A prominent civil rights lawyer and two other protesters were arrested last week. Prosecutors charged them with civil rights violations for disrupting church services.
The Justice Department launched a civil rights investigation after a group interrupted services chanting “Get out of ICE” and “Justice for Renee Good,” in reference to the 37-year-old woman who was shot and killed by ICE agents in Minneapolis.
“Hear us loud and clear: We will not tolerate attacks on places of worship,” Attorney General Pam Bondi said in a social media post last week.
Cities Church is part of the Southern Baptist Convention, and one of its pastors is David Easterwood, who heads the ICE field office. Many Baptist churches have pastors who hold other jobs.
The Justice Department’s swift investigation into the church disturbance stands in contrast to its decision not to launch a civil rights investigation into Good’s killing by ICE agents.
The department has not said whether it will launch a civil rights investigation into the killing of 37-year-old intensive care nurse Alex Preti by federal agents.
“Instead of investigating the federal agents who killed two peaceful protesters in Minnesota, the Trump Justice Department is spending time, attention and resources on this arrest, which is the real indictment of wrongdoing in this case,” Lowell said.