‘I will not stop’: Don Lemon vows to keep reporting after Minnesota church protest arrest

LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA: Former CNN anchor, Don Lemon was released Friday after being arrested by federal authorities in connection with a protest at a Minnesota church, saying the incident would not deter him from continuing his work as a journalist.

Lemon, 59, was charged following a January 18 protest at Cities Church in St. Paul, where demonstrators disrupted a church service to protest Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE). He was released on a personal recognizance bond after a federal magistrate judge questioned whether there was sufficient evidence to justify the arrests.

Speaking outside a downtown federal courthouse shortly after his release, Lemon said he would continue reporting despite the charges. “I will not stop ever,” he told reporters.

“The First Amendment of the Constitution protects that work for me and for countless other journalists. I will not be silenced.”

"I’ve spent my entire career covering the news. I will not stop now. In fact, there is no more important time than right now this very moment for a free and independent media that shines a light on the truth and holds those in power accountable.

Again, I will not stop now. I will not stop ever. Last night, the DOJ sent a team of federal agents to arrest me in the middle of the night for something that I’ve been doing for the last 30 years, and that is covering the news. The First Amendment of the Constitution protects that work for me and for countless other journalists who do what I do. I stand with all of them, and I will not be silenced. I look forward to my day in court," he said in his defiant speech to supporters gathered outside. 

Don Lemon released following federal arrest in church protest case 

Lemon was taken into custody by federal agents earlier on Jan 30, according to his attorney Abbe Lowell. Authorities alleged that the protest violated the religious freedom of those attending the church service.

The case stems from Lemon’s presence at Cities Church, where protesters claimed one of the pastors was affiliated with ICE. Lemon, now working as an independent journalist, livestreamed the events on YouTube as they unfolded.

His Los Angeles-based attorney, Marilyn Bednarski, said Lemon intends to plead not guilty to the charges.

Authorities cite civil rights law and FACE Act violations

A spokesperson for the Department of Homeland Security said Lemon is accused of conspiracy to deprive rights and violating the Freedom of Access to Clinic Entrances (FACE) Act, alleging interference with First Amendment rights through force.

During the protest, Lemon broadcast live while moving alongside demonstrators critical of ICE. The stream began in a parking lot, where Lemon told viewers they were watching events unfold live on his show.

Lemon later entered the church with the group, initially without his camera operator. Audio captured a woman calling out to the pastor as the protest unfolded inside the sanctuary.

Don Lemon says he was reporting, not participating

Throughout the broadcast, Lemon repeatedly stated he was not part of the demonstration. “We’re not part of the activists, but we’re here just reporting on them,” he said.

Protesters inside the church chanted “Justice for Renee Good,” referring to a US citizen who was shot and killed during an encounter with an ICE officer earlier this month in Minneapolis.

The church’s pastor condemned the disruption, calling it “unacceptable” and “shameful,” and criticized protesters for interrupting a religious service.

Lemon’s lead attorney previously said he was arrested in Los Angeles while reporting on events ahead of the Grammy Awards. He is scheduled to appear in federal court in Minneapolis on February 9.