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LOS ANGELES () — Former CNN journalist Don Lemon was released from jail on his personal recognizance, a judge ruled Friday afternoon following his arrest by federal agents in Los Angeles.
Lemon and three others were arrested and indicted for civil rights crimes in connection with an incident in which anti-ICE protesters disrupted a service at a Minnesota church, according to officials.
The four were charged with conspiracy and interfering with the First Amendment rights of worshippers during the Jan. 18 protest at the Cities Church in St. Paul, where a U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement official is a pastor.
Protesters were heard chanting “Justice for Renee Good” inside the church.
Attorney General Pam Bondi said on social media that Lemon, Minnesota-based journalist Georgia Fort, and two others were arrested early Friday “at my direction.” She promoted the arrests on social media.
“Make no mistake. Under President Trump’s leadership and this administration, you have the right to worship freely and safely,” Bondi said in a video posted online. “And if I haven’t been clear already, if you violate that sacred right, we are coming after you.”
“WE DO NOT TOLERATE ATTACKS ON PLACES OF WORSHIP,” Bondi said on social media last week.
Lemon spoke briefly after existing federal court in downtown Los Angeles Friday afternoon.
“I’ve been doing this for 30 years and I won’t stop,” he said. “I will not be silenced. I look forward to my day in court.”
The indictment unsealed in federal court alleges that lemon and others attempted to block the worshippers at the church. It appears to be all based on Lemon’s videos that were posted to social media.
He was at the protest as an independent journalist. Lemon posted video to his Instagram on Jan. 18 showing protesters yelling as well as his interviews with churchgoers and protesters. Lemon said on the video, “We’re not part of the activists, but we’re here just reporting on them.”
Lemon’s attorney, Abbe Lowell, said on Friday that Lemon was taken into custody by federal agents while he was covering the Grammy Awards. Federal sources told News Lemon was arrested at a Beverly Hills hotel.
“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.”
“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 case,” Lowell said, calling the arrest an “attempt to distract attention from the many crises facing this administration.”
Lowell called Lemon’s arrest an “unprecedented attack on the First Amendment” and said the journalist “will fight these charges” in court.
Lowell had said last week that a magistrate judge rejected charges against Lemon, and a source told News that Bondi last week was “enraged” at the magistrate judge’s decision to not charge the journalist.
Minnesota Chief U.S. District Judge Patrick Schiltz also wrote to the 8th Circuit appeals court last week that Lemon and his producer were “not protesters at all,” and that “[t]here is no evidence that those two engaged in any criminal behavior or conspired to do so.”
The Department of Justice responded to Schiltz in a filing unsealed Thursday, “The FACE Act contains no exception that would permit journalists or their producers to use or threaten force or physically obstruct worshippers who are lawfully exercising their First Amendment rights. … Nor does Section 241 afford impunity to journalists or their producers to conspire to violate those worshippers’ rights. The complaint’s detailed allegations speak for themselves on each agitator’s role in the incident for which they are charged.”
L.A. Mayor Karen Bass issues statement on Lemon’s arrest
Mayor Karen Bass issued on statement on the arrests Friday morning, calling it “an egregious assault on constitutionally protected First Amendment rights.”
“Don Lemon, an internationally known and renowned journalist and friend, was arrested last night by federal agents and is now in custody in Los Angeles – simply for doing his job and following a protest into a church in Minneapolis while reporting the story,” she wrote. “Emmy-winning news producer and Minnesota-based journalist Georgia Fort – another widely respected Black journalist – was also arrested by federal agents in Minnesota for reporting on the same protest.”
“The arrest of journalists for going into a church in the course of reporting is shocking enough, but what’s even more alarming is that it’s no secret that Don Lemon is a Trump critic.
“Let me be very clear – President Trump is not deescalating anything after the fatal shootings of U.S. citizens by federal agents. In fact, the arrest of Don Lemon and Georgia Fort demonstrates quite the opposite – he is escalating.
“First, Trump’s agents shoot and kill people exercising their First Amendment rights, and now we’re arresting journalists going into a church. It’s an egregious assault on constitutionally protected First Amendment rights.
“I have reached out to the U.S. Attorney to check on Don Lemon’s status.”
White House touts arrest of Don Lemon
While the White House is referring requests for comment on the arrest of Lemon to the Department of Justice, the official White House X account posted an image Friday morning touting Lemon’s arrest, alongside the comment “When life gives you lemons…” and an emoji of a chain.
News and The Associated Press contributed to this report.
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