Politics
BREAKING: Don Lemon Arrested For Storming Church
Former CNN host Don Lemon was taken into federal custody Thursday night in Los Angeles over his role in a disruptive anti-ICE protest at a Minnesota church, according to his attorney.
Lemon was arrested by federal agents while in California covering the Grammy Awards, attorney Abbe Lowell said. The arrest stems from Lemon’s involvement in unrest at St. Paul’s Cities Church earlier this month, where anti-ICE agitators stormed a worship service.
“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 said in a statement. “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 accused the Trump administration of targeting Lemon instead of federal agents involved in recent deadly encounters in Minnesota.
“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,” he said. “This unprecedented attack on the First Amendment and transparent attempt to distract attention from the many crises facing this administration will not stand. Don will fight these charges vigorously and thoroughly in court.”
WATCH:
“No one is above the law” – Don Lemon, 2019 pic.twitter.com/b2kGZiQotl
— 𝐿𝒾𝒻𝑒𝐿𝑜𝓃𝑔 𝒫𝒶𝓉𝓇𝒾𝑜𝓉 (@LL_PATRIOT) January 30, 2026
Earlier this month, Lemon livestreamed activists as they forced their way into Cities Church during Sunday services, claiming the pastor had cooperated with Immigration and Customs Enforcement. Lemon told viewers at the time that “the freedom to protest” is what the First Amendment protects.
A federal magistrate judge had previously rejected an initial attempt by the Justice Department to bring charges against Lemon.
One of the protest organizers, far-left activist Nekima Levy Armstrong, was arrested in connection with the church incident and appeared in Lemon’s livestream footage. Attorney General Pam Bondi responded forcefully online, writing, “Listen loud and clear: WE DO NOT TOLERATE ATTACKS ON PLACES OF WORSHIP.”
Don Lemon has been arrested by federal agents in connection with the Minnesota Church protest that took place earlier this month. pic.twitter.com/F7VNt7GFKQ
— Pop Base (@PopBase) January 30, 2026
Lemon remained defiant after the earlier legal setback, daring prosecutors to escalate the case.
“I stand proud, and I stand tall,” Lemon said on his YouTube show last week. “This is not a victory lap for me, because it’s not over. They’re going to try again, and they’re going to try again. And guess what? Here I am. Keep trying.”
“That’s not going to stop me from being a journalist,” he added. “You’re not going to diminish my voice. Go ahead. Make me into the new Jimmy Kimmel if you want. Just do it! Because I’m not going anywhere.”
Video posted by Lemon suggests he had some awareness of the activists’ plans before arriving at the church, despite later claiming he had no affiliation with the group.
“We kind of do, but we don’t know how it’s going to play out,” Lemon told viewers while driving to the scene. “We’ll get to see what happens after this, sort of surprise.”
Once inside the church, Lemon described the confrontation as a “clandestine mission” and defended disruption as a civic virtue.
“You have to be willing to go into places and disrupt and make people uncomfortable,” Lemon said. “That’s what this country is about.”
Justice Department civil rights official Harmeet Dhillon has warned that journalism is not a shield for criminal conduct.
“His role as a journalist wasn’t necessarily a shield for him being a potential party to a crime,” Dhillon said, adding that authorities were treating the matter seriously.
The case remains ongoing.
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