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

[keek]

All the pastors and congregants of the Church are victims of the vicious and vile assault on their Church.

Vicious?? Did they not show the physical assaults or were they edited out?
Vicious I think of the ice behavior on Renee Good, the young and happy mother or the ICU nurse at the Veterans Hospital, Mr. Pretti. I hope that did not happen to people in that church! IMO

 

[Sundog]

No, I was hoping you might.

 

[Tutter]

That fraud investigation has been going on for years. It is not new.
But the current administration has brought it up repeatedly as a distraction for what ICE are doing to the city.

imo

In 2021, federal law enforcement first probed a series of multimillion dollar fraud schemes.

Everything we know about Minnesota's massive fraud schemes

A viral social media video has put Minnesota's long-running fraud scandal at the center of the national conversation. Here's what to know.

www.cbsnews.com

I believe ICE is enforcing our immigration laws across the country. I also believe there are protests in other places but not to the level of obstruction in Minnesota? I know some of it is that is other states are cooperating with ice and having local LE assist so ICE can carry out their lawful duties. So ICE is working lawfully in lots of cities, so why so much unrest in Minnesota? I don’t know myself, but I can guess.

All my opinion.

 

[acutename]

3 min ago

Don Lemon says "I will not stop now" following court hearing​

From CNN's Taylor Romine

Don Lemon speaks after his court appearance on Friday, in Los Angeles.
CNN - video at link

Former CNN anchor Don Lemon said, “I will not stop now,” to a crowd of reporters and supporters in Los Angeles following his arrest after covering a protest at a St. Paul church.

“There is no more important time than right now, this very moment for a free and independent media that shines a light on the truth and holds those in power accountable,” he said outside court today after his first appearance. “Again, I will not stop now. I will not stop ever.”

https://edition.cnn.com/us/live-news/minnesota-ice-minneapolis-protests-01-30-26?t=1769816628705

what was he charged with and is he out on bail?

 

[Summerliz03]

what was he charged with and is he out on bail?

Here’s his indictment, he was released on his own recognizance.

Read the DOJ indictment of Don Lemon and other journalists, activists

MS NOW obtained a copy of the indictment charging former CNN journalist Don Lemon and eight others with conspiracy to obstruct religious freedom.

www.ms.now

 

[SouthAussie]

Do you have a link to his Church sermons that show some kind of agenda?

His whole church has an agenda, apparently.


Despite efforts to portray it as an apolitical island of faith, Cities Church has extensive ties to a deeply political network within the larger Christian nationalism movement

Jonathan Parnell [the pastor on that protest day], primarily preaches of standard Biblical matters, but he’s not above politics—or broadcasting about it on social media. He has discussed the evils of “transgenderism” and called the pope an “idiot.”

Rigney [co-founder of said church] himself is focused on much more than worshiping Jesus and loving one another. Rigney is currently a pastor of Christ Church in Moscow, Idaho. Christ Church is an extremely controversial church, known for essentially taking over the town as part of a religious effort led by a pastor named Doug Wilson.

Don Lemon Got Arrested Over a Church Protest. It’s Not Just Any Church.

The Trump administration is arresting journalists over a protest at a church. It turns out that church has some very powerful MAGA friends.

www.yahoo.com

 

[JennieM]

The arrest of Don Lemon is blatant censorship. And he is not the only one​

Seth Stern

Thursday’s arrests of Lemon and independent journalist Georgia Fort demonstrate the administration’s lawless crusade against routine journalism

[…]

In normal times the expectation is that even when a journalist’s conduct might technically fit the legal elements of a crime – jaywalking to get footage of a protest, for example – prosecutors will exercise their discretion and judgment to not apply the law in a manner that chills the free press.

Those assumptions are inverted now. Even when journalists’ conduct is plainly non-criminal, prosecutors will work overtime to figure out some way to harass them, no matter how frivolous. Discouraging journalists from doing their job is not a side-effect they seek to avoid – it’s the whole point. There is no telling what nonsensical legal theories the administration may advance if it decides to make an example of a reporter it doesn’t like. The law and constitution are only marginally relevant – the only real rule is don’t piss off Trump.

[…]

• Seth Stern is the director of advocacy at Freedom of the Press Foundation and a first amendment lawyer

The arrest of Don Lemon is blatant censorship. And he is not the only one | Seth Stern

Thursday’s arrests of Lemon and independent journalist Georgia Fort demonstrate the administration’s lawless crusade against routine journalism

www.theguardian.com

 

[303gmf]

Kind of like the distraction used by government leaders in Minnesota at the same time as the massive fraud cases, possibly the largest in U.S. history.

Is it proven in court ?

 

[keek]

His whole church has an agenda, apparently.


Despite efforts to portray it as an apolitical island of faith, Cities Church has extensive ties to a deeply political network within the larger Christian nationalism movement

Jonathan Parnell [the pastor on that protest day], primarily preaches of standard Biblical matters, but he’s not above politics—or broadcasting about it on social media. He has discussed the evils of “transgenderism” and called the pope an “idiot.”

Rigney [co-founder of said church] himself is focused on much more than worshiping Jesus and loving one another. Rigney is currently a pastor of Christ Church in Moscow, Idaho. Christ Church is an extremely controversial church, known for essentially taking over the town as part of a religious effort led by a pastor named Doug Wilson.

Don Lemon Got Arrested Over a Church Protest. It’s Not Just Any Church.

The Trump administration is arresting journalists over a protest at a church. It turns out that church has some very powerful MAGA friends.

www.yahoo.com

Of course. Knew it wasn't some golden rule following place. Sure is nottttttttt. Knew there was a reason that church needed a 'wake up' call. Those members ...get a life, stop giving that place your money. Wise up, there's a golden rule, IMO

 

[BeginnerSleuther]

It is prohibited to interfere with any person who is seeking to exercise first amendment rights of religious freedom at a place of religious worship. (FACE Act)

Lemon did not interfere. He recorded the people who WERE interfering.

That is law. Recording religious meetings is not a right, it is a privilege.

He was not recording religious meetings. He was recorded the protestors. What you're posting does not match the evidence posted in this thread, IMO,

Non-members of a religious group cannot wander into religious meetings and interfere with those exercising first amendment rights by recording with intent to publish and expose persons attending that meeting; especially when the intent is to portray with negative or critical context.

This is absolutely false, Otto. There is no evidence at that he interfered with the service or that he recorded "with intent to publish and expose persons attending that meeting" or that the "intent is to portray with negative or critical context."

He was reporting as a member of the press. You may not like it, may even be unfamiliar with it, but that is allowed here.

MOO.

 

[BeginnerSleuther]

Sure, but not inside the abortion clinic where women are waiting to terminate pregnancy.

Only because the protestors were kept out by security. MOO

 

[Inthedetails]

Of course. Knew it wasn't some golden rule following place. Sure is nottttttttt. Knew there was a reason that church needed a 'wake up' call. Those members ...get a life, stop giving that place your money. Wise up, there's a golden rule, IMO

Aha. Yes, that church was chosen specifically.

jmopinion

 

[Sundog]

His whole church has an agenda, apparently.


Despite efforts to portray it as an apolitical island of faith, Cities Church has extensive ties to a deeply political network within the larger Christian nationalism movement

Jonathan Parnell [the pastor on that protest day], primarily preaches of standard Biblical matters, but he’s not above politics—or broadcasting about it on social media. He has discussed the evils of “transgenderism” and called the pope an “idiot.”

Rigney [co-founder of said church] himself is focused on much more than worshiping Jesus and loving one another. Rigney is currently a pastor of Christ Church in Moscow, Idaho. Christ Church is an extremely controversial church, known for essentially taking over the town as part of a religious effort led by a pastor named Doug Wilson.

Don Lemon Got Arrested Over a Church Protest. It’s Not Just Any Church.

The Trump administration is arresting journalists over a protest at a church. It turns out that church has some very powerful MAGA friends.

www.yahoo.com

I'm not sure what this post has to do with this thread. Are we suggesting that protests should now be made to censor others' views that we disagree with? Should they also be invading mosques that preach the same things and calling out their leaders for their views which many would find problematic. The FACE Act is there for a reason, and protesters broke the law plain and simple.

 

[acutename]

Here’s his indictment, he was released on his own recognizance.

Read the DOJ indictment of Don Lemon and other journalists, activists

MS NOW obtained a copy of the indictment charging former CNN journalist Don Lemon and eight others with conspiracy to obstruct religious freedom.

www.ms.now

two names are blacked out- ? are they minors? something else?

 

[BeginnerSleuther]

The question is: why was he there?
It's not a question of whether, once he was there, he should film the protest.

If he had no advance notice of the protest inside the church, what reason did he have for standing in the parking lot prior to the protest to announce the protest (video posted upthread). What led him to that parking lot if he had no advance notice of the protest?

I don't know, but regardless, so what? There are no laws requiring journalists to tip off police about it that I know of.

MOO

 

[SouthAussie]

I'm not sure what this post has to do with this thread. Are we suggesting that protests should now be made to censor others' views that we disagree with? Should they also be invading mosques that preach the same things and calling out their leaders for their views which many would find problematic. The FACE Act is there for a reason, and protesters broke the law plain and simple.

You asked for a link about David Easterwood's sermons to show an agenda. I looked for one. And I found that his whole church has a white Christian nationalist agenda.

(as per my linked article, and a little further research on the co-founders of Cities Church)

imo

 

[Summerliz03]

two names are blacked out- ? are they minors? something else?

I’m honestly not sure, I was curious about that too. Obviously it’s someone whose identity they wanted to protect or maybe someone who hasn’t been charged yet? Or possibly an informant?

 

[Inthedetails]

You asked for a link about David Easterwood's sermons to show an agenda. I looked for one. And I found that his whole church has a white Christian nationalist agenda.

imo

And a pastor of that white Christian nationalist congregation is part of ICE.

I don't watch Don Lemon so this is unfolding for me right here on the thread.

Yikes.

jmo

 

[Sundog]

You asked for a link about David Easterwood's sermons to show an agenda. I looked for one. And I found that his whole church has a white Christian nationalist agenda.

imo

The only thing that I saw in your post about sermons at the church were your mention of the pastor preaching against transgenderism and the pope. I'm not sure how that shows an agenda.

 

[Inthedetails]

I’m honestly not sure, I was curious about that too. Obviously it’s someone whose identity they wanted to protect or maybe someone who hasn’t been charged yet? Or possibly an informant?

Or maybe someone indicted but who hasn't yet been arrested? idk, just a guess.

jmo