Don Lemon arrested in connection to anti-ICE church protest
Fox News congressional correspondent Bill Melugin provides details on the arrest of former CNN anchor Don Lemon in connection to his involvement in the anti-ICE protest that interrupted a church service in Minnesota.
Federal authorities have arrested three additional people in connection with anti-U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agitators storming a Minnesota church after former CNN anchor Don Lemon was taken into custody.
"At my direction, early this morning, federal agents arrested Don Lemon, Trahern Jeen Crews, Georgia Fort, and Jamael Lydell Lundy, in connection with the coordinated attack on Cities Church in St. Paul, Minnesota," Attorney General Pam Bondi said on X, adding that more details would be released "soon."
A Homeland Security Investigations special agent wrote in an affidavit obtained by Fox News that on the morning of Sunday, Jan. 18, "a group of approximately 30-40 agitators, working together in a coordinated manner," entered the Cities Church in St. Paul during a religious service and engaged in conduct that "disrupted the religious service and intimidated, harassed, oppressed, and terrorized the parishioners, including young children, and caused the service to be cut short and forced parishioners to flee the church out of a side door, which resulted in one female victim falling and suffering an injury."
The day after the incident, one victim told the FBI that they "expressed fear that the agitators may have guns underneath their jackets," and, "Additionally, when the agitators began shouting, all the parishioner could hear was ‘shoot,’" the affidavit said.
DON LEMON TAKEN INTO CUSTODY FOR HIS INVOLVEMENT IN LIVESTREAMING PROTEST AT MINNESOTA CHURCH
Anti-ICE protesters inside the Cities Church in Minneapolis. (Facebook/DawokeFarmer2)
During an interview, another victim "informed agents that members of their parish attempted to retrieve their children from the childcare area located downstairs, but the agitators were blocking the stairs, and the parents were unable to get to their children," it continued.
That victim "recalled one agitator was threatening, aggressive, and intimidating towards parishioners," according to the affidavit.
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"Additionally, this agitator was screaming and getting in people’s faces, to include women and young children. This agitator continued to scream in the faces of young children while they were crying," it said.
A third victim "thought to himself that this is what it would feel like to be in a mass shooting."
Anti-ICE protesters shouting in a Minneapolis church on Sunday. (Facebook/DawokeFarmer2)
ANTI-ICE MOB STORMS MINNESOTA CHURCH OVER PASTOR'S ALLEGED TIES TO IMMIGRATION ENFORCEMENT
Lemon's attorney, Abbe Lowell, said the former CNN anchor had been arrested in Los Angeles while 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," Lowell said in a statement. "The First Amendment exists to protect journalists whose role it is to shine light on the truth and hold those in power accountable. There is no more important time for people like Don to be doing this work."
"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... Don will fight these charges vigorously and thoroughly in court," he added.
Anti-ICE agitators storm Cities Church in Minnesota, disrupting services. (VALIDATED UGC, Black Lives Matter Minnesota via The Associated Press)
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Earlier this month, Lemon livestreamed left-wing agitators who stormed St. Paul's Cities Church under the suspicion that its pastor had collaborated with ICE. Lemon told viewers that "the freedom to protest" is what the First Amendment is all about.
A federal magistrate judge previously rejected the Justice Department’s initial attempt to bring charges against Lemon.
While some have argued that the church storming is covered by the First Amendment, the Justice Department said shortly after the incident that it was probing it as a possible violation of the Freedom of Access to Clinic Entrances (FACE) Act.
This is a developing story. Please check back for updates.
Fox News Digital's Joseph A. Wulfsohn and Brian Flood contributed to this report.
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