Don Lemon Indicted in Minnesota on Federal Charges Related to Church Protest

Former CNN Anchor Faces Federal Charges

Former CNN anchor Don Lemon has been indicted by a federal grand jury in Minnesota on charges of conspiracy and interfering with First Amendment rights. The indictment, handed down on January 30, 2026, also includes eight co-defendants, among them independent journalist Georgia Fort and protest participants Trahern Jeen Crews and Jamael Lydell Lundy.

Lemon was arrested overnight in Los Angeles, California, and subsequently released without bond after a court appearance on January 30, 2026. His next hearing in federal court is scheduled for February 9 in Minneapolis.

Details of the Indictment and Protest

The charges against Lemon and his co-defendants include one count of conspiracy against religious freedom at a place of worship, a felony, and one count of injuring, intimidating, and interfering with the exercise of the right of religious freedom at a place of worship, a misdemeanor. If convicted, they could face up to 10 years in prison.

These charges are linked to an anti-immigration enforcement protest that took place on January 18, 2026, at Cities Church in St. Paul, Minnesota. The protest targeted the church due to the involvement of a U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) official who serves as a pastor there. Court documents allege that Lemon livestreamed during the event, discussing a 'resistance' operation against federal immigration policies and taking steps to maintain operational secrecy.

Conflicting Accounts and Reactions

Lemon has stated that he attended the protest as a journalist, chronicling the events, and denies any affiliation with the organizing group. His attorney, Abbe Lowell, asserted that Lemon's work was 'constitutionally protected' and no different from his 30-year career in journalism. Defense attorney Marilyn Bednarski indicated Lemon plans to plead not guilty.

Conversely, Assistant U.S. Attorney Alexander Robbins argued that Lemon 'knowingly joined a mob that stormed into a church.' The indictment portrays Lemon as a protester, not a reporter, alleging he collaborated with others to disrupt and intimidate worshippers. This indictment follows previous attempts by the Justice Department to bring charges, which were reportedly rejected by a magistrate judge and a chief federal district judge, Patrick J. Schiltz, who found 'no evidence that those two engaged in any criminal behavior or conspired to do so.' However, the Justice Department proceeded to obtain an indictment from a federal grand jury.

The arrests have drawn significant criticism from press freedom advocates. Organizations such as the Knight First Amendment Institute at Columbia University and the International Press Institute (IPI) have called the arrests 'extremely alarming' and an 'attack on the first amendment.' CNN, Lemon's former employer, also issued a statement expressing 'profoundly concerning questions about press freedom and the First Amendment.' U.S. Attorney General Pam Bondi publicly promoted the arrests on social media.