Judge rejects charges against Don Lemon over Minnesota church protest
MINNEAPOLIS, MINNESOTA: Don Lemon evaded federal charges in connection with an anti-immigration enforcement protest inside a church in Minnesota.
The church service was disrupted on Sunday, January 18, when around 30 to 40 anti-ICE protesters entered the Cities Church in St Paul, Minnesota, to confront the church's pastor, David Easterwood, who's believed to be a Minneapolis ICE official.
Three protesters — Nekima Levy Armstrong, Chauntyll Louisa Allen, and William Kelly — were also arrested by Homeland Security and FBI agents.
Don Lemon won't face prosecution
A federal judge dismissed the charges against the former CNN host, who was at the scene during the protest, with Lemon saying he was there solely for work to cover the event as a journalist.
The 59-year-old also shared his lawyer’s statement on different social media sites after charges were dropped against him.
The statement began, “The magistrate’s reported actions confirm the nature of Don’s first amendment protected work this weekend in Minnesota as a reporter.”
Don Lemon's attorney says his client was ready to 'fight any charges vigorously'
“It was no different than what he has done for more than 30 years, reporting and covering newsworthy events on the ground and engaging in constitutionally protected activity as a journalist,” Abbe Lowell said.
Lowell’s statement further added that “should the Department of Justice continue with a stunning and troubling effort to silence and punish a journalist for doing his job, Don will call out their latest attack on the rule of law and fight any charges vigorously and thoroughly in court.”
But the judge’s decision has not sat well with the Attorney General Pam Bondi as she’s said to be “enraged”.
Cities Church called protest 'shameful'
Meanwhile, earlier Donald Trump had slammed Lemon. He reportedly said, “I saw him the way he walked in that church, it was terrible. I have such respect for that pastor. He was so calm, he was so nice. He was just accosted. What they did in that church was horrible.”
Also, regarding the church protest, Cities Church issued a statement, criticizing the incident.
The statement said: “On Sunday, January 18, a group of agitators jarringly disrupted our worship gathering. They accosted members of our congregation, frightened children, and created a scene marked by intimidation and threat. Such conduct is shameful, unlawful, and will not be tolerated.”
“We welcome respectful dialogue about present issues, and about how the realness of Jesus, as revealed in the Bible, provides the only final answers to the world’s most complex and intractable problems,” it added.
