(The Guardian) Federal agents arrest former CNN anchor Don Lemon
Don Lemon, a former CNN anchor, was arrested by federal agents in Los Angeles, his lawyer said on Friday, days after a magistrate judge refused to approve charges against him for documenting a protest at a church in Minnesota.
“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,” his attorney Abbe Lowell said in a statement.
He continued: 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.
Don Lemon’s arrest comes as the justice department pursues charges against protesters who disrupted a service at the Cities church in Saint Paul, Minnesota, earlier this month.
The protesters believed that the church’s pastor was a field director for Immigration and Customs Enforcement, whose agents have swarmed the Twin Cities in recent weeks in an aggressive immigration enforcement campaign that has resulted in the deaths of two US citizens.
However, the government’s prosecutions have faced roadblocks in the form of federal judges who have refused to approve charges against those allegedly involved in disrupting the service – including Lemon, at least prior to today.
-Read more: https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2026/jan/25/minnesota-church-protest-doj-appeals-court
Don Lemon, a former CNN anchor, was arrested by federal agents in Los Angeles, his lawyer said on Friday, days after a magistrate judge refused to approve charges against him for documenting a protest at a church in Minnesota.
“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,” his attorney Abbe Lowell said in a statement.
He continued: 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.
Don Lemon’s arrest comes as the justice department pursues charges against protesters who disrupted a service at the Cities church in Saint Paul, Minnesota, earlier this month.
The protesters believed that the church’s pastor was a field director for Immigration and Customs Enforcement, whose agents have swarmed the Twin Cities in recent weeks in an aggressive immigration enforcement campaign that has resulted in the deaths of two US citizens.
However, the government’s prosecutions have faced roadblocks in the form of federal judges who have refused to approve charges against those allegedly involved in disrupting the service – including Lemon, at least prior to today.
-Read more: https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2026/jan/25/minnesota-church-protest-doj-appeals-court
