Don Lemon, the former CNN anchor, was arrested late Thursday on charges that he violated federal law during a protest at a church in Minnesota earlier this month, according to his lawyer. Lemon was taken into custody by federal agents in Los Angeles, where he was covering the Grammy awards, his legal team said.
Abbe Lowell, a lawyer for Lemon, defended his client’s actions and framed the arrest as an attack on press freedom. “Don has been a journalist for 30 years, and his constitutionally protected work in Minneapolis was no different than what he has always done,” Lowell said. “The first amendment exists to protect journalists whose role it is to shine light on the truth and hold those in power accountable.”
Lowell further accused the justice department of misplaced priorities. “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,” he said. “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.”
Dispute over journalist or protester status
Lemon has maintained that he was present at the demonstration strictly in his capacity as a journalist and not as a protester. In a video he posted on YouTube, Lemon is heard saying, “I’m just here photographing, I’m not part of the group… I’m a journalist.”
Senior justice department officials, however, have publicly asserted that Lemon would face charges, claiming that he did not have the right to be on the church’s private property and that interrupting a church service may have impeded churchgoers’ constitutional rights to express their religion.
The arrest followed reports that a federal magistrate judge had earlier declined to sign off on an arrest warrant for Lemon, this was described as unusual and one that reportedly angered Pam Bondi, the attorney general. Bondi later denounced the protest during a visit to Minneapolis, calling the scene “horrific” in a Fox News interview, though she did not mention Lemon by name.
Who is Don Lemon?
Born on March 1, 1966, in Baton Rouge, Louisiana, Lemon was best known for his long tenure at CNN, where he worked from 2006 until 2023. Over nearly 17 years at the network, he served as a reporter, anchor and prime-time host, including on CNN Tonight, and became known for sharp political commentary, often critical of Donald Trump.
After leaving CNN in 2023 amid controversies over on-air remarks, Lemon launched an independent media presence, including a YouTube-based show and a podcast. He currently hosts The Don Lemon Show across streaming platforms and maintains a large following on social media.