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

[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

 

[BayouBelle_LA]

That’s a core part of being a part of Websleuths though. If you state something as fact, you must provide a link or make it clear that it’s your opinion. I see this response on a lot of threads here (not just ones that may have strong conflicting opinions) and it always confuses me. If you’re stating something as a fact, you’ve had to have already done the research to be able to articulate it to us. Maybe if you go through your browser history you can find the support for your statement and link it for us?

(rbbm)
There were two IMO’s on that post. 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

 

[keek]

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.

He's not disgraced. We all know how big corporations work. So much behind the scenes of what's working for the numbers and who's not. ALL about keeping the ratings. USA has so many news programs for decades. We know what was said and what went down. Terribly missed hence the loss was only his role on CNN. Never disgraced clearly. Super popular because of exactly his down to earth and raw thoughts and critical, honest core. Past her prime was a sexist comment, no one disputes that. It seems Ms. Haley has had her eyes opened since regarding t. She did once in a while show her own thoughts. Hoping she is another repub party member who are not about letting the current admin stand as they are so far. IMO

 

[Gators North]

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.

But what does his firing from CNN have ANYTHING to do with this thread?

 

[K9Enzo]

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

I believe Don Lemon is a journalist. No argument there. IMO he was arrested for breaking the law.

 

[303gmf]

But what does his firing from CNN have ANYTHING to do with this thread?

I’m over here wondering about all the Fox firings ?
Anti CNN bias is too strange
IMO

 

[Emerald1328]

It is the case that we need to provide links on WS, but there is also the situation where some posters pop in and out of a thread and don't bother to read anything but a current post and then expect posters to start all over again from scratch to inform the person who is popping in and out without informing themself. I see that on a lot of threads, too, and I also see tons of posts where posters assume some common background information and don't post links for that reason. So it's not a clearcut issue, there are grey areas.

I agree, it is frustrating when people come into a thread late and haven’t read everything. I don’t think that means we don’t have to provide links again if someone asks, or link to our original post where we did provide that link. I am going to alert my post to a mod and maybe they can clarify.

 

[keek]

The Fox firings were head spinning, Whatever their reasons were, no matter. SOOO much wild and disproven 'info' were some reasons, caught out. IMO

 

[Ontario Mom]

I've been reluctant to post here because I know people at this church (and who support this church) so for me it's very personal.

According to the indictment Read the DOJ indictment of Don Lemon and other journalists, activists, there is PLENTY of evidence to demonstrate Lemon was not there simply to objectively observe and report, as he claims. He knew what was going to take place, he actively kept the protestor's locations & plans a secret (that's not being objective, that's being involved), he knew how it was all going to go down before it did, and he did nothing to remove himself from it, or notify the proper authorities that a federal crime was about to take place. That's the first charge, the conspiring to interfere with worship. The second charge is exactly how him and his band of protestors actually did it. For crying out loud, the man flippin' recorded himself saying what was going on before it ever happened. Essentially a confession of conspiring to commit the federal offenses. A grand jury had access to all of this information and agreed he broke the law by his involvement in this.

COUNT ONE 18 US.C. § 241 — Conspiracy Against Right of Religious Freedom at Place of Worship
COUNT TWO 18 U.S.C. § 248(a)(2),(b), § 2(a) — Injure, Intimidate, and Interfere with Exercise of Right of Religious Freedom at Place of Worship

From reading the indictment, I am 100% convinced Lemon is guilty of exactly what he's been charged with, and should face the full legal consequence of his actions.

jmo

 

[otto]

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.

Is the North America Mission Board of the Southern Baptist Convention a "white supremacy" church?

"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

This appears to be the website the church that was targeted by protesters:

https://www.namb.net/https://www.namb.net/

 

[Jade]

I believe Don Lemon is a journalist. No argument there. IMO he was arrested for breaking the law.

So? We have a felon for President.

It’s a different world now. No one cares bout breakin’ laws.

All imo

 

[witchway]

Don Lemon just on youtube has

TheDonLemonShow
1.14M subscribers

 

[Cryptic]

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.

I fully agree. I am hoping that the concept applies to journalists disrupting the functioning of a church, mosque, temple by giving "interviews".