Don Lemon, the former CNN anchor, was arrested in Los Angeles late Thursday while covering the Grammy Awards, according to his lawyer. His arrest follows his involvement in reporting on a protest that disrupted a church service at Cities Church in St. Paul, Minnesota, on January 18. The protest was organized in response to allegations that one of the church's pastors worked for Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE).
Lemon's attorney, Abbe Lowell, stated that Lemon was performing his duties as a journalist and has been in the industry for over 30 years. Lowell criticized the charges against Lemon, describing them as an unprecedented attack on First Amendment rights, and assured that Lemon would contest the charges in court.
Attorney General Pamela Bondi confirmed Lemon's arrest alongside that of independent journalist Georgia Fort and two others, linking it to the protest at the church. Bondi stated that the arrests were made in connection with a coordinated attack on the church, invoking legal protections for individuals attending services.
Fort, who was also arrested, expressed concern about the implications for press freedom in a Facebook livestream, highlighting the paradox of constitutional rights amid such arrests. The Trump administration's involvement is notable, as it has been actively pursuing legal actions against individuals related to the protest.
The incident has drawn criticism from press freedom advocates, with Seth Stern from the Freedom of the Press Foundation labeling the arrests as "naked attacks on freedom of the press." He emphasized that such actions send a warning to journalists about potential government scrutiny in their reporting activities.
Lemon, who left CNN in 2023 after 17 years, has since transitioned to independent journalism, utilizing social media and live events for his work.