Lemon faces federal arraignment today in St. Paul church protest case

By Elyse Apel
The Center Square

Journalist Don Lemon is scheduled to appear in a Minnesota courtroom today to be arraigned on federal charges related to a protest that disrupted a Jan. 18 Sunday church service in St. Paul.

Lemon, who was inside the church covering the protest, is one of nine people arrested in connection with the demonstration.

All nine were indicted by a federal grand jury in Minnesota in January on two counts:

• conspiracy against right of religious freedom at a place of worship

• and injure, intimidate, and interfere with exercise of the right of religious freedom at a place of worship

Those charges stem from the Freedom of Access to Clinic Entrances (FACE) Act of 1994, which prohibits obstruction or threats at abortion clinics and places of worship.

Lemon’s arrest came following widespread calls for arrests in the wake of the protest, which quickly captured attention far beyond Minnesota.

The U.S. Department of Justice and the FBI are working together to investigate the protest, which was organized in part by members of Black Lives Matter Minnesota.

Video posted by the group shows protesters chanting “ICE out” and “justice for Renee Good” during the service at Cities Church. Another video circulating on social media shows Kelly calling congregants “pretend Christians” and “comfortable white people.”

Caleb Phillips, a congregant at the church, told The Center Square in an exclusive interview that the protestors were seated throughout the congregation before the service began.

“The entire congregation came alive. Individuals who are planted from front to back throughout the entire place stood up,” Phillips said. “It felt like we were surrounded, because they were all throughout the congregation.”

Reports allege the protesters discovered one of the church’s pastors works for U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, calling the protest a “clandestine mission.” The federal indictment called the church protest a “coordinated takeover-style attack.”

The church protest came in the wake of the Jan. 7 killing of 37-year-old Renee Nicole Good during an encounter with ICE officers conducting enhanced immigration enforcement. Lemon, a former CNN anchor, defended the protesters.

“I imagine it’s uncomfortable and traumatic for the people here,” Lemon said during a livestream of the protest at service. “But, that’s what protesting is about.”

The Trump administration has been vocal in its displeasure with the protest—promising legal action.

“We will always protect our churches and the freedom of religion,” Bondi said during a federal committee hearing on Wednesday.

Just days after the incident, Harmeet Dhillon, assistant attorney general for the DOJ’s Civil Rights Division, directly addressed Lemon.

“Don Lemon himself has come out and said he knew exactly what was going to happen inside that facility,” Dhillon said. “He went into the facility, and then he began ‘committing journalism,’ as if that’s sort of a shield from being an embedded part of a criminal conspiracy. It isn’t.”

Lemon’s Jan. 30 arrest came shortly after a judge refused to sign a warrant for his arrest. The former CNN host was held overnight following his arrest, but was then released on his own recognisance.

Since then, Lemon has appeared on many shows like “Jimmy Kimmel Live!”

“I will not stop now. I will not stop ever,” Lemon said following his release. “In fact, there is no more important time but right now, this very moment, for a free and independent media that shines a light on truth and holds those in power accountable.”