MN - Journalist Don Lemon arrested for church protest, Minneapolis, 18 Jan 2026

[LAborn]

I'm not sure why you keep repeating the same thing. What did Don Lemon do that was illegal?

This a thousand times.

 

[Summerliz03]

Pam Bondi et al don't even need the charges to stick. They got their arrest b rolls. They got to sanctimoniously announce that freedom of worship will be protected. (As if that is going to distract me from the fact the citizens' rights to be on their own sidewalks or cars without getting killed has been taken away.) Pam Bondi is hoping people think, well, if he got arrested, he must have done something wrong. And thus, even though the charges won't stick, she has achieved her goal.

MOO

I agree, and I truly think Pam Bondi knows the charges won’t stick. She doesn’t care, it’s all just political theater to hype up the group of people who are so convinced that their religious freedoms are under attack, primarily white Christian nationalists. Who ironically enough, are the same people pushing for more religion in schools (but only Christianity), more religion in politics (but only Christianity), and seem to support the violent removal of their literal neighbors, which is the complete opposite of any of Jesus’ teachings. I say this as a Christian myself, who goes to church regularly and supports the freedom of religion in this country (but this goes for ALL religions, not just Christianity), nothing about the current administration is Christian and I have a hard time understanding how or why any Christian person supports it. All just MOO.

 

[Ruminations]

I agree, and I truly think Pam Bondi knows the charges won’t stick. She doesn’t care, it’s all just political theater to hype up the group of people who are so convinced that their religious freedoms are under attack, primarily white Christian nationalists. Who ironically enough, are the same people pushing for more religion in schools (but only Christianity), more religion in politics (but only Christianity), and seem to support the violent removal of their literal neighbors, which is the complete opposite of any of Jesus’ teachings. I say this as a Christian myself, who goes to church regularly and supports the freedom of religion in this country (but this goes for ALL religions, not just Christianity), nothing about the current administration is Christian and I have a hard time understanding how or why any Christian person supports it. All just MOO.

Scripture is pretty clear about treatment of strangers and those in need. AFAIK, there is nothing Christian, Muslim, Jewish, Buddhist, or Secular Humanist about this. The protest that Lemon was covering was a protest against ICE. There is no argument that ICE is acting in a Christian way. Being that they are behaving extra-judicially, going against training, and targeting law-abiding people, there isn't even the, "but the law" argument. It's pretty rich if anyone thinks this administration is pro-Christian.

The protesters were not anti-Christian. They were anti ICE.

Lemon was not a protester. He was a journalist.

MOO

 

[LAborn]

Scripture is pretty clear about treatment of strangers and those in need. AFAIK, there is nothing Christian, Muslim, Jewish, Buddhist, or Secular Humanist about this. The protest that Lemon was covering was a protest against ICE. There is no argument that ICE is acting in a Christian way. Being that they are behaving extra-judicially, going against training, and targeting law-abiding people, there isn't even the, "but the law" argument. It's pretty rich if anyone thinks this administration is pro-Christian.

The protesters were not anti-Christian. They were anti ICE.

Lemon was not a protester. He was a journalist.

MOO

Exactly. The main person is a minister and civil rights lawyer. Come on now.

 

[Ontario Mom]

https://twitter.com/x/status/2018661394858873039

 

[witchway]

If you have facebook/instagram, here is Ronan Farrow on the arrests of journalist arrests of Don Lemon and Georgia Fort. Or maybe it works here regardless.

He did the Harvey Weinstein story as well. That’s really worth a read.
He is a winner of the Pultzer Prize for Public Service in 2018.

https://www.facebook.com/video.php?v=1216158433422560

 

[otto]

As Ms. Armstrong stated in her interview with Chris Cuomo, her desired effect of the protest was to inform both the parishioners and the public that the church had a pastor that works for ICE. She wasn’t specifically protesting to David Easterwood, but more to spread awareness that churches may not be a safe haven for immigrants if they employ a pastor who is also serving as an ICE agent. So it truly didn’t matter that Mr. Easterwood was there, IMO. But she clearly explains her reasons for protesting that church during her interview.

Don Lemon was tipped off about the protest ahead of time, but did not know that the protest would disrupt the church service. As an independent journalist, should he be gathering information, or "arguing with a parishioner about immigration enforcement" ?

Armstrong wanted to draw attention to Mr Easterwood, and to inform the congregation about his involvement with immigration law.

Was there no better way to inform the congregation about Mr Easterwood than to traumatize families with children? Armstrong sounds like a well-educated woman, a civil rights lawyer. Could she not inform them by handing out a pamphlet at the doors of the church? Why was trauma used to communicate her opinion to people attending church? Why did Lemon choose to associate himself with trauma-style communication?

"At the event, hosted by Black Lives Matter Minnesota and other local organizations ... the church protest over the weekend was organized by Nekima Levy Armstrong, a civil rights lawyer. She said she wanted to draw attention to a church leader, David Easterwood, who also appears to be the acting director of ICE’s field office for enforcement and removal operations in St. Paul.
...

Ms. Levy Armstrong, the church protest organizer, said that in the lawsuit filed earlier this month against ICE’s tactics, she saw that Mr. Easterwood was named as a defendant for overseeing “a racial profiling campaign of massive scale and with devastating consequences,” and connected him with the church. She compared Mr. Easterwood’s appearance in an October news conference alongside Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem with a sermon he delivered at the church that was posted to YouTube.

Ms. Levy Armstrong said she circulated her plan for interrupting the service on social media as a way to raise awareness among the congregation of Mr. Easterwood’s involvement in the immigration crackdown."​

January 19, 2026

Protest at Minnesota Church Service Adds to Tensions Over ICE Tactics

The Justice Department said it would investigate the protest over a pastor’s apparent role in immigration enforcement in the state.

www.nytimes.com

"Lemon said he was at the demonstration as a journalist. He said he was tipped off ahead of time but did not know the activists would disrupt the service. He can be seen arguing with a parishioner about immigration enforcement."​

January 30, 2026

Ex-CNN journalist Don Lemon faces Minnesota protest charges

Former CNN news anchor Don Lemon appeared in court on Friday to face federal charges over his role covering a protest at a Minnesota church against President Donald Trump's immigration crackdown, the Republican administration's latest move against a critic.

www.reuters.com