Federal agents arrested Don Lemon spend the night in Los Angeles, his lawyer and Attorney General Pamela Bondi confirmed. The journalist is one of four people arrested in connection with an anti-immigration protest that disrupted a service at a Minnesota church. Lemon was in California covering the Grammy Awards, said his lawyer, Abbe Lowell.
RELATED: Judge rejects attempt to charge Don Lemon over Minnesota church interview as three protesters are arrested
Don Lemon’s lawyer speaks out after his arrest
To begin with, it is unclear what charge(s) Lemon faces in connection with the January 18 protest. Last week, a magistrate judge rejected federal prosecutors’ initial proposal to charge the journalist. Additionally, Lemon said he had no affiliation with the organization that entered the church. He said he was there as a journalist to chronicle the protesters.
“Don has been a journalist for 30 years, and his constitutionally protected work in Minneapolis was no different than what he always did,” attorney Lowell said in a statement. “The First Amendment exists to protect journalists whose role is to shed light on the truth and hold those in power accountable. »
Lowell added that “Don will fight these charges vigorously and thoroughly in court. »
“Instead of investigating the federal agents who killed two peaceful Minnesota protesters, the Trump Justice Department is focusing its time, attention and resources on this arrest, and that is the real indictment of wrongdoing in this case,” Don Lemon’s lawyer said.
What Don Lemon said about the Church protest
From he left CNNDon Lemon joined other journalists who went into business for themselves, posting regularly on YouTube. He has not hidden his dislike for Donald Trump. Yet, during his online broadcast from church, he repeatedly stated: “I’m not here as an activist. I’m here as a journalist.”
He described the scene before him and interviewed worshipers and protesters. After the first attempt to charge him failed, he predicted on his show that the administration would try again.
“And guess what,” Don Lemon said, “here I am. Keep trying. It’s not going to stop me from being a journalist. It’s not going to diminish my voice. Go ahead and make me the new Jimmy Kimmel, if you want. Do it. Because I’m not going anywhere.”
Before his arrest in Los Angeles, Don entered The Shade Room with Busta Rhymes during the Black Music Collective’s Grammys event. The rapper pleaded for the journalist to be protected at all costs.
Video shows Georgia Fort’s arrest after attorney general announces multiple arrests
As mentioned, AG Pam Bondi announced Friday morning that Don was not the only person in handcuffs under her office. Trahern Jeen Crews, Fort Georgia And Jamaël Lydell Lundy were also arrested, but details of the charges will be released “soon,” Bondi tweeted.
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.
More details soon.
– Attorney General Pamela Bondi (@Agpambondi) January 30, 2026
Georgia Fort, a journalist like Don Lemon, went live on social media to document the moment federal agents arrived at her home.
“This all comes from me filming a protest as a member of the media. We’re supposed to have our constitutional right, the freedom to film, to be a member of the press. I don’t feel like I have my First Amendment right as a member of the press,” Fort said in the video.
DOJ targets protesters while preventing ICE agent killings
A prominent civil rights lawyer and two others involved in the protest were arrested last week. Prosecutors charged them with civil rights violations for disrupting a service at Cities Church in St. Paul. David Easterwoodwho runs the local ICE office, is a pastor in said church. The Justice Department launched a civil rights investigation after the group disrupted services while chanting “THE ICE IS OUT” And “Justice for Renee Good.” The second chant was about the 37-year-old mother of three who was shot and killed by an ICE officer in Minneapolis.
“Listen loud and clear: WE DO NOT TOLERATE ATTACKS ON PLACES OF WORSHIP,” Attorney General Pam Bondi wrote in a social media post last week.
And although the Justice Department quickly launched THIS investigation, it refused to open a civil rights investigation into the killing of Renee Good by an ICE officer. The department has not said whether it will open a civil rights investigation into the killing of Alex Pretti, 37, by federal agents.
Earlier this week, AG Pam Bondi bragged about the arrests in Minnesota, promising more arrests. “I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again: NOTHING will stop President Trump and this Department from enforcing the law.”
ARRESTS IN MINNESOTA – I’m on the ground in Minneapolis today. Federal agents arrested 16 Minnesota rioters for allegedly assaulting federal law enforcement – people who resisted and obstructed our federal law enforcement officers.
We expect more arrests.
I have…
– Attorney General Pamela Bondi (@Agpambondi) January 28, 2026
RELATED: Phew! Nicki Minaj appears to want to turn up the heat after Don Lemon accuses her of using slurs against him
Associated Press journalists Alanna Durkin Richer, Eric Tucker and Dave Bauder contributed to this report via AP Newsroom.
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