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Don Lemon arrested in LA
Former CNN anchor Don Lemon was taken into custody Friday in connection with a protest at a Minnesota church.
LOS ANGELES - Former CNN anchor Don Lemon was taken into custody Friday in connection with a protest at a Minnesota church. Lemon was apprehended in Los Angeles while covering the Grammy Awards, according to his attorney, Abbe Lowell.
Don Lemon taken into custody
What we know:
Attorney General Pam Bondi wrote on X, "At my direction, early this morning federal agents arrested Don Lemon, Trahern Jeen Crews, Georgia Fort, and Jamael Lydell Lundy, in connection with the coordinated attack on Cities Church in St. Paul, Minnesota."
The arrests are in connection with a protest that took place Jan. 18 inside Cities Church in St. Paul, Minnesota. The protest involved demonstrators entering the church during a service to oppose the presence of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement.
Attorney General Pam Bondi wrote on X, "At my direction, early this morning federal agents arrested Don Lemon, Trahern Jeen Crews, Georgia Fort, and Jamael Lydell Lundy, in connection with the coordinated attack on Cities Church in St. Paul, Minnesota."
The arrests are in connection with a protest that took place Jan. 18 inside Cities Church in St. Paul, Minnesota. The protest involved demonstrators entering the church during a service to oppose the presence of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement.
A federal magistrate judge previously rejected the Justice Department’s initial attempt to bring charges against Lemon. Despite those rulings, Lemon was taken into custody Friday. Officials did not immediately disclose what legal authority was used or what charges, if any, were being pursued.
Lemon releases statement on Facebook
What they're saying:
Shortly after being taken into custody, The Don Lemon Show released the following statement on Facebook:
"Don Lemon was taken into custody by federal agents last night in Los Angeles, where he was covering the Grammy Awards. Don has been a journalist for 30 years, and his constitutionally protected work in Minneapolis was no different than what he has always done. 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. 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. 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."
LA Mayor Karen Bass releases a statement on journalists' arrest
"Don Lemon, an internationally known and renowned journalist and friend, was arrested last night by federal agents and is now in custody in Los Angeles – simply for doing his job and following a protest into a church in Minneapolis while reporting the story.
Emmy-winning news producer and Minnesota-based journalist Georgia Fort – another widely respected Black journalist – was also arrested by federal agents in Minnesota for reporting on the same protest.
The arrest of journalists for going into a church in the course of reporting is shocking enough, but what’s even more alarming is that it's no secret that Don Lemon is a Trump critic.
Let me be very clear – President Trump is not deescalating anything after the fatal shootings of U.S. citizens by federal agents. In fact, the arrest of Don Lemon and Georgia Fort demonstrates quite the opposite – he is escalating.
First, Trump’s agents shoot and kill people exercising their First Amendment rights, and now we’re arresting journalists going into a church. It’s an egregious assault on constitutionally protected First Amendment rights.
I have reached out to the U.S. Attorney to check on Don Lemon’s status."