DOJ arrests former CNN anchor Don Lemon and another journalist who covered a Minnesota church protest

Following the killing of Minneapolis mother Renee Good by an ICE agent earlier this month, a group of activists staged a protest during a service at Cities Church in St. Paul. One of the pastors of this church, David Easterwood, leads ICE’s field office in St. Paul. The group of 30-40 protesters entered the church and interrupted the service chanting “Ice Out” and “Justice for Renee Good”.

Attorney General Pam Bondi and Assistant Attorney General for Civil Rights Harmeet Dhillon immediately condemned the event as an attack on religious freedom and vowed to file charges, including against journalists who were merely covering the protest. Dhillon singled out Don Lemon, a former CNN anchor who was covering the protest as an independent journalist.

Some of the activists involved have been arrested. However, a judge last week rebuffed the DOJ’s attempt to charge Lemon over his coverage of the protest. The judge emphasized that Lemon’s role as a journalist was protected by the First Amendment. This decision reportedly “enraged” Bondi.

Despite the judge’s ruling, federal agents arrested Lemon today in Los Angeles where he was covering the Grammy Awards. Georgia Fort, an independent journalist from Minnesota, was also arrested for covering the protest at the church. It is not clear yet what they are charged with or what, if any, of their conduct is not covered by the First Amendment.

Two weeks ago, the FBI raided the home of Washington Post journalist Hannah Natanson, who was working on a story about a Pentagon contractor accused of illegally retaining classified documents. Last week, a judge ruled that the FBI could not examine any of the devices taken from Natanson’s home.

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