Former CNN host Don Lemon has appeared before a judge after being arrested for entering a Minnesota church and filming anti-immigration enforcement protesters as they disrupted a service. After appearing in court, Lemon was released from custody. He told media outside that he was arrested for covering the news, adding: 'I will not be silenced.' The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) said he was charged with 'conspiracy to deprive rights' and 'violation of the FACE Act', by allegedly interfering in someone's First Amendment rights by force.
Lemon went into the Cities Church in St Paul on 18 January with protesters who said one of the pastors was an immigration enforcement official. Lemon, an independent journalist, said he was taken into custody by federal agents on Thursday. He did not enter a plea in court. 'Last night the DOJ sent a team of federal agents to arrest me in the middle of the night for something that I have been doing for the last 30 years and that is covering the news,' Lemon said. 'I have spent my entire covering the news. I will not stop now.'
The lawyer representing Lemon, Abbe Lowell, stated, 'Don will fight these charges vigorously and thoroughly in court,' and characterized the case as an unprecedented attack on the First Amendment. Lemon was arrested while in Los Angeles covering the Grammy Awards. The arrest coincides with a broader scrutiny of press freedoms in the U.S., particularly under the recent political atmosphere.
As protests continue in Minnesota sparked by federal immigration actions, tensions have escalated with the community, leading to confrontations and casualties. Lemon's situation has ignited discussions about the boundaries of journalism in politically charged environments and the implications for free speech.
Lemon went into the Cities Church in St Paul on 18 January with protesters who said one of the pastors was an immigration enforcement official. Lemon, an independent journalist, said he was taken into custody by federal agents on Thursday. He did not enter a plea in court. 'Last night the DOJ sent a team of federal agents to arrest me in the middle of the night for something that I have been doing for the last 30 years and that is covering the news,' Lemon said. 'I have spent my entire covering the news. I will not stop now.'
The lawyer representing Lemon, Abbe Lowell, stated, 'Don will fight these charges vigorously and thoroughly in court,' and characterized the case as an unprecedented attack on the First Amendment. Lemon was arrested while in Los Angeles covering the Grammy Awards. The arrest coincides with a broader scrutiny of press freedoms in the U.S., particularly under the recent political atmosphere.
As protests continue in Minnesota sparked by federal immigration actions, tensions have escalated with the community, leading to confrontations and casualties. Lemon's situation has ignited discussions about the boundaries of journalism in politically charged environments and the implications for free speech.
