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

[keek]

This case will be muddled because everyone is going to focus on the protest being in a church.

But was the defendant there as a protestor or press?

As a church member myself, we welcome outsiders at any time. You do not need to be a member in most congregations to attend worship service. We assume good intent and respect, but being a non-member being present is not an issue, imo. There are issues at question, but I don't think that is one.

The question is his role in the situation. What was he there for? To document or to participate?

jmopinion

Is this the church that the pastor was found to be the head of some department of ICE? The people of that person's church had no idea that is who he was in 'real life'. IMO

 

[waldojabba]

the White House's official X account gloats over the arrest of Don Lemon with a chains emoji

https://twitter.com/x/status/2017253945240936917

Is there anything more reprehensible -
Lemons is a black gay man
To dangle chains in the White House tweet is just a

sick way for the Admin to throw "red meat"
to their base



JMO

 

[Deleted member 117884]

Did people storm into a place of worship? Like storming into a synagogue or a mosque to disrupt a religious meeting?

Shouldn't journalists take the stance that storming a religious building during a religious meeting is going to cause fear and safety concerns? Would Don Lemon film the storming of a synagogue during a religious meeting?

Did you watch the videos, look at any photographs of what the protest looked like?

jmo

 

[otto]

Did you watch the videos, look at any photographs of what the protest looked like?

jmo

Do you have video links to Don Lemon's new broadcast from inside the church during the religious service?

 

[Summerliz03]

Is this the church that the pastor was found to be the head of some department of ICE? The people of that person's church had no idea that is who he was in 'real life'. IMO

Who is David Easterwood? Protestors say pastor is ICE official

Protesters disrupted a service at a church in St. Paul, alleging one of its pastors leads the local ICE field office.

www.newsweek.com

He runs the ICE field office in St Paul.

 

[keek]

Who is David Easterwood? Protestors say pastor is ICE official

Protesters disrupted a service at a church in St. Paul, alleging one of its pastors leads the local ICE field office.

www.newsweek.com

He runs the ICE field office in St Paul.

There you go.

 

[CrimeDawg123]

"another step toward authoritarianism"
-- Congressman Joaquin Castro

https://bsky.app/profile/joaquincastrotx.bsky.social%2Fpost%2F3mdnmm7cw5s2a

 

[CrimeDawg123]

Who is David Easterwood? Protestors say pastor is ICE official

Protesters disrupted a service at a church in St. Paul, alleging one of its pastors leads the local ICE field office.

www.newsweek.com

He runs the ICE field office in St Paul.

How does a Christian pastor square being an ICE officer. I'm trying to picture Jesus beating people up, separating families, calling women the c-word, shooting someone in the back. Can't see it.

 

[Summerliz03]

Do you have video links to Don Lemon's new broadcast from inside the church during the religious service?

Here’s some of the coverage of the protests.

https://www.cnn.com/2026/01/19/us/video/minnesota-anti-ice-church-ldn-digvid

If we are just discussing Don Lemons arrest, it has more to do with the freedom of the press to view, record and report on details of an event to disseminate information to the public. He was there in official press capacity, I believe he was live streaming the whole thing.

 

[K9Enzo]

I believe Don Lemon livestreamed and had knowledge ahead of time they were going into this church. IMO


Link that talks about the FACE Act and KKK Act https://www.cnn.com/2026/01/21/us/minnesota-ice-church-protest-face-kkk-act

 

[Summerliz03]

Do you have video links to Don Lemon's new broadcast from inside the church during the religious service?

I’m actually having a hard time finding Don’s actual broadcast from that day. He did upload it to his official Tiktok account but i don’t believe that’s an approved news source here so I can’t link it. It’s a 5 min video where he is interviewing both protestors and church members.

 

[Deleted member 117884]

I believe Don Lemon livestreamed and had knowledge ahead of time they were going into this church. IMO


Link that talks about the FACE Act and KKK Act https://www.cnn.com/2026/01/21/us/minnesota-ice-church-protest-face-kkk-act

How do journalists know where to go to cover a story? Happenstance?

jmo

 

[CrimeDawg123]

https://bsky.app/profile/phillewis.bsky.social%2Fpost%2F3mdnkuoutws2s

 

[Deleted member 117884]

I’m actually having a hard time finding Don’s actual broadcast from that day. He did upload it to his official Tiktok account but i don’t believe that’s an approved news source here so I can’t link it. It’s a 5 min video where he is interviewing both protestors and church members.

The event was covered in the press, not just by Lemon, fwiw. I don't watch Lemon and I saw video and images.

jmopinion

 

[tlcya]

Personally, while I get the outrage at the seeming moral disconnect between a pastor and serving as an ICE department head, I never agreed with the idea of storming a church, either during worship or not. I found it a distasteful move.

That said, the arrest by feds of a journalist who was there to cover that story after local authorities declined to prosecute him smacks of retribution and attempts to silence the press, critics of the current administration, and cannot be allowed to stand.

but this move is not surprising. How many members of the press have been assaulted and intimidated by the federal boots on the ground in MN? Quite a few, and that is no accident or mistake MOO

 

[K9Enzo]

Did people storm into a place of worship? Like storming into a synagogue or a mosque to disrupt a religious meeting?

Shouldn't journalists take the stance that storming a religious building during a religious meeting is going to cause fear and safety concerns? Would Don Lemon film the storming of a synagogue during a religious meeting?

In addition, I believe some of these poor people, in church service, may have been prevented from leaving, if even for a moment. Some of these "protesters" are in hot water. I suspect Don Lemon will be home by supper. I believe he messed up big time here. IMO

 

[Tutter]

FACE Act​

The FACE Act, enacted in 1994, is a federal law that prohibits “the use of force or threat of force or physical obstruction to intentionally injure, intimidate, or interfere with or attempt to injure, intimidate, or interfere with any person lawfully exercising or seeking to exercise the First Amendment right of religious freedom at a place of religious worship.”

https://www.cnn.com/2026/01/21/us/minnesota-ice-church-protest-face-kkk-act

 

[Deleted member 117884]

Personally, while I get the outrage at the seeming moral disconnect between a pastor and serving as an ICE department head, I never agreed with the idea of storming a church, either during worship or not. I found it a distasteful move.

That said, the arrest by feds of a journalist who was there to cover that story after local authorities declined to prosecute him smacks of retribution and attempts to silence the press, and critics of the current administration and cannot be allowed to stand.

but this move is not surprising. How many members of the press have been assaulted and intimidated by the federal boots on the ground in MN? Quite a few, and that is no accident or mistake MOO

My thoughts too. I find it distasteful to interrupt a worship service. I can't support that, tbh.

But did LEMON participate or was he there as press?? To me, that is the issue, whether I personally agree with the protesters or not (and I do not agree with their actions during worship service).

I predict it will be impossible to discuss this case because people are going to focus on the church, not questioning what Lemon's role was (participant or press).


jmo

 

[Summerliz03]

The event was covered in the press, not just by Lemon, fwiw. I don't watch Lemon and I saw video and images.

jmopinion

Agreed, he was not the only reporter there covering the event. He also wasn’t the only one arrested. IMO, this is political retribution against Don and the other journalists by this administration. I think the fact that 2 judges refused to sign off on the arrest warrant and that we haven’t heard any actual details from the DOJ speaks to that.

 

[waldojabba]

Who is David Easterwood? Protestors say pastor is ICE official

Protesters disrupted a service at a church in St. Paul, alleging one of its pastors leads the local ICE field office.

www.newsweek.com

He runs the ICE field office in St Paul.

Tricia McLaughlin, assistant secretary of public affairs at the Department of Homeland Security, told Newsweek that the department "will never confirm or deny attempts to dox our law enforcement officers. Doxing our officers put their lives and their families in serious danger."

Here we go with that "doxing business "again. None of our government officials are anonymous. This admin decided to have ICE wear "masks" aka face covers - this was a first for ICE and they have been around since after 9/11.
If they follow the law why the need to hide ?
Noone can seem to explain that to me

JMO