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

[Sundog]

I haven't justified storming the church.

I myself have stated more than once that I don't support disrupting worship services, but my feelings are tested knowing it's a white nationalist congregation.

It's a difficult topic that challenges me personally and I'm not shy about saying that it is difficult. I'm a church member and it is shocking to me that a church would be white nationalist.

And I'm not shy about my disapproval that a minister of the gospel and ICE member is part of a white nationalist church.

I didn't know anything about the church until the arrests. The DOJ brought a lot of attention to the church. But just because I'm learning about the church and at least one of its leaders does not mean I approve of disrupting worship. It's a big, false leap to assert that.

The core issue is that Lemon was at a church with a group of agitators and charged with being one of them and not solely there as an independent journalist. A grand jury found probable cause to indict him. We haven't seen the evidence yet. And it has nothing to do with one of the church's pastors or white nationalism. Good luck with that if that is where Lemon is going.

 

[Sundog]

What disgraced Don Lemon? That's large word that sounds like it means in general to all and of course that's not true. IMO

He was fired by CNN due to his history of misogynistic behavior toward female colleagues and on-air comments as well, the most recent ones at the time of his firing were about women and age.

 

[MrsWatson]

Many pastors have other jobs, they don't all expect to be supported by their congregation. God bless him for his willingness to serve his country and his church.

Faith. Family. Country.

Many pastors, who are not affiliated with a white supremacist Christian nationalist church, have other jobs that are not related to evicting brown people, who may or may not be legal immigrants, from the country they live in.

MOO

 

[witchway]

Your post was very clear. Basically some people are trying to justify the storming of the church with their own biases which will have nothing to do with the court case against those arrested, including Lemon.

I assume this is your opinion?

 

[Sundog]

Many pastors, who are not affiliated with a white supremacist Christian nationalist church, have other jobs that are not related to evicting brown people, who may or may not be legal immigrants, from the country they live in.

MOO

I'm sure they do. This church, however, has a pastor who works for law enforcement at the federal level who deal with the arrests of illegal immigrants in our country. And it has nothing to do with this case of Lemon and company storming a church in the U.S. which is against the law.

 

[Deleted member 117884]

The core issue is that Lemon was at a church with a group of agitators and charged with being one of them and not solely there as an independent journalist. A grand jury found probable cause to indict him. We haven't seen the evidence yet. And it has nothing to do with one of the church's pastors or white nationalism. Good luck with that if that is where Lemon is going.

His defense will likely be he was there as a journalist not a protest participant. That makes it a core issue.

It's my opinion that the protesters (whether that group included Lemon as protester or journalist) chose that particular church BECAUSE it is a white nationalist congregation with a leader who is with ICE.

They didn't pick a church like mine that is not white nationalist.

So, the type of church is indeed part of the story, as distasteful and likely illegal as it is that a church service was interrupted (which I repeat once again that I don't approve of).

jmopinion

 

[Deleted member 117884]

It's okay that a pastor who is affiliated with a white supremacy church is a federal law enforcement officer? That seems very Third Reich to me, but MOO.

It's information that the public should know. And thanks to journalists, the wider public does now know.

jmopinion

 

[tricia]

Of course, you are right, there was always going to be a criminal complaint. Congregants were crying, children were crying, people were followed out to their cars, as they sat in their church pews praying and worshipping protesters were in their face, shouting about their beliefs, demeaning them as Christians, etc. It was a violent, loud and nasty protest and Lemon was part of it, now trying to hide behind a first amendment right. Shameful and shows the coward that he is.

Please provide a link that shows Don Lemon was a part of the protest. If not link is provided the post will be removed

 

[otto]

What about synagogues with IDF members. Are they "cool", or "uncool"? If uncool, can they be invaded?

Canada has the Canadian Human Rights Act, which is not the same as the US.

If a religious building was used as a protest site without permission during a religious service in Canada, it could be interpreted as a violation of human rights, discrimination, and intolerance of diverse beliefs.

I suspect that a similar protest at a US synagogue or mosque could be interpreted as discrimination against those who practice their beliefs. In this instance, where protesters objected to the job role of a member of the church, and therefore subjected all members of that church (including children) to fear and harassment, it should fall under discrimination.

That is, one person at the church was targeted for his job role, it was presumed that he holds a specific set of ideological beliefs, it was presumed that everyone in that church shares his beliefs, and therefore everyone in that church is fair game for harassment.

"Mr. Parnell, speaking to the former CNN anchor Don Lemon during the Sunday protest, said it was “shameful to interrupt a public gathering of Christians in worship.”​

​

Kevin Ezell, president of the North American Mission Board of the Southern Baptist Convention, to which the church belongs, said in a statement that “what occurred was not protest; it was lawless harassment.”​

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

"For all purposes of this Act, the prohibited grounds of discrimination are race, national or ethnic origin, colour, religion, age, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, marital status, family status, genetic characteristics, disability and conviction for an offence for which a pardon has been granted or in respect of which a record suspension has been ordered."​

Canadian Human Rights Act

Federal laws of Canada

laws-lois.justice.gc.ca

~ in my opinion ~

 

[Cryptic]

There really is not anything out there that I have seen - even after a cursory google - that indicates there is any evidence that this reporter DL engaged in anything but reporting.

Reporting or "reporting"?

Thinking if I barged into a mosque service to "interview" an Imam about terrorism, I would not be functioning as a journalist at that point.

Then again, there would probably be some who would find me to be "one of the good guys". Objectively, however, I would expect to be be charged criminally.

 

[tricia]

PLEASE REMEMBER WHEN APPROPRIATE TO PUT " IN MY OPINION" IN YOUR POST.
If you say "it was a violent assault on the church" then you must provide a link that proves what you are saying or put. "in my opinion".
When you make a strong statement of fact you have to back it up with a link.

 

[otto]

Please provide a link that shows Don Lemon was a part of the protest. If not link is provided the post will be removed

This is not proof that he was part of the protest, but he has been charged with being part of the protest.

"The former CNN anchor Don Lemon was arrested late Thursday night on charges that he violated federal law during a protest at a church in St. Paul, Minn.
...

Mr. Lemon is scheduled to appear in federal court in Los Angeles on Friday. Now that he has been arrested, he is likely to challenge the prosecution’s case by arguing that he was not protesting, but rather covering the event as a journalist.

“Once the protest started in the church, we did an act of journalism, which was report on it and talk to the people involved, including the pastor, members of the church and members of the organization,” Mr. Lemon said in a recent video. “That’s it. That’s called journalism.”

unlocked article:

Don Lemon Released Without Bond Over Minnesota Church Protest

Nine people have been accused of violating federal law during the demonstration at a church this month, reviving a case that was rejected last week by a magistrate judge.

www.nytimes.com

 

[CSIDreamer]

Speaking on camera from a snowy parking lot in the Twin Cities, Lemon said he had done some “reconnaissance” with activist groups ahead of the storming of Cities Church.

“These are resistance protesters, they’re planning an operation we’re going to follow them on. I can’t tell you exactly what they’re doing, but it’s called Operation Pull-Up,” he said in the livestream.

“So that’s what we’re doing here, and after we do this operation, you’ll see it live, these operations are surprise operations, again I can’t tell you where they’re going,” he said.

Video proves Don Lemon was embedded with anti-ICE agitators before they stormed church — despite claiming ‘no affiliations’

Speaking on camera from a snowy parking lot in the Twin Cities, Lemon said he had done some “reconnaissance” with activist groups ahead of the storming of Cities Church.

nypost.com

BBM. IMO, his words are important and speak directly to his decisions and actions beforehand.

Definition of RECONNAISSANCE

a preliminary survey to gain information; especially : an exploratory military survey of enemy territory… See the full definition

www.merriam-webster.com

An exploratory survey to gain information. Especially, an exploratory military survey of enemy territory.

(Definition may not be word for word. I think it is. Copy/paste issues.)

 

[MrsWatson]

If Don Lemon is not a "journalist" then neither are Meghan Kelly, Tucker Carlson, or Joe Rogan.

MOO

 

[303gmf]

Reporting or "reporting"?

Thinking if I barged into a mosque service to "interview" an Imam about terrorism, I would not be functioning as a journalist at that point.

Then again, there would probably be some who would find me to be "one of the good guys". Objectively, however, I would expect to be be charged criminally.

Strawman nonsense

 

[BayouBelle_LA]

Don Lemon was fired from CNN.

(Bolding by BBC)

CNN anchor Don Lemon has hit out at the network after his firing, which came after accusations of misogyny and misbehaviour.

Don Lemon, CNN anchor, fired after 17 years on the network

Don Lemon drew criticism after saying US politician Nikki Haley, 51, was not "in her prime".

www.bbc.com

After arrest, Don Lemon's post-CNN pivot faces biggest test yet

Don Lemon has been arrested after covering an ICE protest in Minnesota as an independent journalist. Here's what to know about his post-CNN career.

www.usatoday.com

The former CNN broadcaster, 59, who was ousted from the network after what were called sexist and ageist comments, was arrested Friday, Jan. 30, weeks after covering a protest inside a Minnesota church on Jan. 18, according to The New York Times and CBS News.

 

[K9Enzo]

IMO Rachel Maddow, as an accomplished journalist, would not walk into my living room, uninvited, to ask me questions. She knows that would be illegal.

 

[Jade]

Don Lemon was fired from CNN.

(Bolding by BBC)

CNN anchor Don Lemon has hit out at the network after his firing, which came after accusations of misogyny and misbehaviour.

Don Lemon, CNN anchor, fired after 17 years on the network

Don Lemon drew criticism after saying US politician Nikki Haley, 51, was not "in her prime".

www.bbc.com

After arrest, Don Lemon's post-CNN pivot faces biggest test yet

Don Lemon has been arrested after covering an ICE protest in Minnesota as an independent journalist. Here's what to know about his post-CNN career.

www.usatoday.com

The former CNN broadcaster, 59, who was ousted from the network after what were called sexist and ageist comments, was arrested Friday, Jan. 30, weeks after covering a protest inside a Minnesota church on Jan. 18, according to The New York Times and CBS News.

Just like a President! Give DL his participation trophy!

A used one that isn’t his to start with is just fine.

All imo

 

[Jade]

IMO Rachel Maddow, as an accomplished journalist, would not walk into my living room, uninvited, to ask me questions. She knows that would be illegal.

Don Lemmon has his own independent platform.
No comparison to Rachel Maddox, imo.

DL platform is more like Truth Social. Look it up.


All imo

 

[otto]

What disgraced Don Lemon? That's large word that sounds like it means in general to all and of course that's not true. IMO

After Mr Lemon was "pushed out" of his CNN job, he is described by his lawyer as an "independent journalist" with a youtube channel.

“Once the protest started in the church, we did an act of journalism, which was report on it and talk to the people involved, including the pastor, members of the church and members of the organization,” Mr. Lemon said in a recent video. “That’s it. That’s called journalism.”

Mr. Lemon now works as an independent journalist and has his own YouTube show. He was pushed out of CNN in 2023 after 17 years at the cable network, amid criticism that he made sexist comments about women and aging. Mr. Lemon has been a longtime critic of President Trump dating back to his first term, and frequently calls the president a liar."

unlocked

Don Lemon Released Without Bond Over Minnesota Church Protest

Nine people have been accused of violating federal law during the demonstration at a church this month, reviving a case that was rejected last week by a magistrate judge.

www.nytimes.com