Ex-CNN host Don Lemon pleads not guilty in Minnesota church protest case

Former CNN host Don Lemon pleaded not guilty to charges related to his coverage of a January 18 protest at Cities Church in St. Paul, Minnesota. Lemon and eight others are charged with conspiracy to deprive rights and interfering with religious freedoms for allegedly disrupting a church service protesting federal immigration raids. The protest involved chanting and interrupting the service, referencing the fatal shooting of Renee Good by an ICE officer. Lemon maintains he was present as an independent journalist covering the event. During Friday's hearing, Lemon's lawyer expressed concern about investigators seizing Lemon's phone during his arrest in Los Angeles. Four co-defendants also pleaded not guilty.

Former CNN anchor Don Lemon is scheduled to appear in federal court in St. Paul, Minnesota on Friday to enter a plea related to his coverage of an immigration protest. The charges stem from a livestreamed protest at Cities Church in St. Paul on January 18, which disrupted a church service and opposed then-President Trump's immigration policies. Lemon is charged with conspiring to deprive others of their civil rights and violating a law prohibiting obstruction of access to houses of worship. The case has drawn criticism, with Lemon's lawyer arguing it infringes on First Amendment rights. The Trump administration praised the charges, while the Attorney General emphasized the importance of protecting the right to worship freely.

Former CNN anchor Don Lemon was arrested by federal agents in Los Angeles following a Justice Department investigation into a protest he live-streamed at a church in St. Paul, Minnesota. The January 18 protest disrupted a church service with demonstrators chanting against President Trump's immigration policies and demanding justice for a woman fatally shot by an ICE officer. The arrest, ordered by Attorney General Pam Bondi, comes after a magistrate judge initially rejected prosecutors' attempt to charge Lemon. The Justice Department launched a civil rights investigation into the incident, alleging a coordinated attack on Cities Church. Lemon, who was covering the Grammy Awards, faces unspecified charges related to the protest.

Former CNN host Don Lemon was arrested in Los Angeles on Thursday night in connection to an anti-ICE protest he filmed at Cities Church in St. Paul, Minnesota on January 19th. Lemon, along with other protesters, entered the church, alleging that one of the pastors was an ICE official, and disrupted a service. He faces charges related to the disruption, though initial charges sought by the Trump administration for eight individuals, including Lemon, were reduced to three by a magistrate judge. The government's attempt to challenge that decision was unsuccessful. Lemon's lawyer claims his actions were protected under the First Amendment as journalism, while the Department of Justice is pursuing the case. The protests were part of ongoing unrest in Minnesota related to federal immigration enforcement.

In January 2026, journalist Don Lemon was arrested in Los Angeles while covering the Grammy Awards, in connection with his reporting on a Minnesota protest against President Trump's immigration enforcement. The arrest stems from Lemon's attendance at a January 18 demonstration at a church in St. Paul, Minnesota. The US Attorney General described the demonstration as a "coordinated attack" on the church. Lemon's lawyer asserts his client was acting as a journalist protected by the First Amendment and will fight the charges. Several others, including another journalist and two activists, were also arrested in connection with the church demonstration.