NEW: Don Lemon Hit With Civil Suit Over MN Church Disruption

Former CNN anchor Don Lemon is among the defendants named in a civil lawsuit filed by a St. Paul church congregant over the disruption of a worship service on January 18, 2026, at Cities Church in St. Paul, Minnesota. The same incident has also resulted in federal criminal charges against Lemon and eight other individuals.

The protest occurred during a Sunday service at Cities Church, a Southern Baptist congregation. Demonstrators entered the sanctuary and began chanting slogans including “ICE out!” and “Justice for Renee Good,” a reference to a local anti-ICE agitator who was shot while attempting to run over a federal agent last month.

Protesters targeted the church over rumors that one of its pastors served as acting director of the ICE field office in St. Paul. A number of the agitators were openly threatening, while others blocked children from being able to exit the building.

NEW: Completely unhinged liberal lunatic starts screaming at Christians trying to worship at a church in Minnesota.

“As you can see, all these pretend Christians, all these comfortable white people who are living lavish, comfortable lives…”

“Touch me again and see what… pic.twitter.com/jUCi2HYTVH

— Collin Rugg (@CollinRugg) January 18, 2026

Ann Doucette, a congregant who was present during the service, filed a civil lawsuit in Minnesota District Court against Lemon and his fellow agitators on February 23. The complaint names as defendants Nekima Levy Armstrong, Don Lemon, Georgia Fort, Will Kelly, Chauntyll Allen, Jerome Richardson, Trahern Crews, Jamael Lundy, and additional individuals associated with the protest.

Doucette alleges that the defendants “unlawfully interfered” with her ability to “freely exercise her religion in a private place of worship.” The filing states that demonstrators “spread through the pews, raised their voices and confronted clergy while congregants watched.”

The churchgoer claims she suffered “severe emotional distress, fear, anxiety, and trauma” as a result. The complaint further asserts that Lemon “appeared to take satisfaction in the disruption” while livestreaming portions of the event and notes that one protester publicly stated they had assisted Lemon with “logistics and local contacts in support of the operation.”

Doucette, who filed the suit without counsel, is seeking an unspecified amount of monetary damages as well as a court order barring the defendants from entering Cities Church or disrupting future services there.

BREAKING🚨: A church attendee at The Cities Church in St. Paul has filed a lawsuit against Don Lemon and other protesters, claiming their disruption during a service caused her severe emotional distress, fear, anxiety, and trauma. pic.twitter.com/mJmDTPnf2u

— Officer Lew (@officer_Lew) February 25, 2026

Lemon and a number of additional individuals named in the suit are currently facing federal charges in connection with the incident. A federal indictment returned on January 29 accuses Lemon and his co-defendants of coordinating the disruption, something Lemon appeared to confirm in his own livestream.

“After the service commenced, a group of approximately 20-40 agitators, including all of the defendants named in this Indictment, entered the Church in a coordinated takeover-style attack and engaged in acts of oppression, intimidation, threats, interference, and physical obstruction alleged herein,” the indictment reads.

All nine defendants named in the indictment are facing one count of conspiracy against the right of religious freedom at a place of worship. They are also each facing one count of injuring intimidating, and interfering with the exercise of the right of religious freedom at a place of worship, in violation of the Freedom of Access to Clinic Entrances (FACE) Act.

The FACE Act prohibits the use of force, threats of force, or physical obstruction to intentionally interfere with a person’s exercise of religious freedom at a place of worship. It was previously used by the Biden-controlled Justice Department to bring federal charges against pro-life activists.

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