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

[Luna20]

I understand that there is a preference for Don Lemon to be considered separate from the protesters, but, according to legal documents, he is charged as a participating protester. Legal documents related to Don Lemon are not separate at this time.

I assume that charges are based on eye-witness testimony, CCTV, video footage from eye-witnesses and victim statements (including children). That is, charges are not based exclusively on youtube videos shared by participants at the protest.

The debate is whether Don Lemon, an independent journalist, participated as a protester, independent journalist, or both. Current evidence is legal documents.

Hey Otto, do you know what company DL is representing as a journalist?

 

[AppleTreeGreen]

Just my own impressions from the few short videos I was able to find, but it didn’t seem like DL was physically obstructing or intimidating the pastor. They were standing close together but that likely was due to how loud the space was around them due to the protests of course. Also, their conversation was more amicable than I pictured based off the affidavit.

It also didn’t look like DL was obstructing the doorways or parishioners as they worshipped or moved about the church.

Also, he seemed more empathetic or understanding than I originally thought based off the affidavit when speaking of the child who became visibly upset. At least to me, at first, his words at first came off as cold but his tone and expression conveyed warmth or at least he cared or was concerned.

Of course, more recordings and testimony is likely to be made available during the trial, I had just wanted to see if there was any more information out there to compare to the affidavit.

MOO/my own speculation

 

[Izzylizzy]

How can they charge obstruction for reporting/recording the protest? Is DOJ saying he was PART of the protest? Cuz, that ain't so. From the stream I saw, he was off to the side, out of the way of the protesters and parishioners, not near them.

The church is private property so DL going in uninvited for filming/interviewing during a service is obstruction?

 

[SouthAussie]

Just read the indictment finally. Big nothing burger. The protesters may have some issues, but doubt Lemon will get caught in that net. What they (protesters) could and should have done, is protest on the sidewalk in front of the church with signs to get the story out about the pastor and ICE connection. JMO Read the full indictment against Don Lemon, Georgia Fort and others charged in Minnesota

The protesters may have known they could have an issue. One of the protesters, Nekima Levy Armstrong, is a civil rights attorney.

Protesters can be well aware when they are breaking the law in their protest. This protest seemingly focused on outing a church that hired a senior ICE person as a pastor. (Remember this protest happened 11 days after Renee Good was shot and killed by ICE).

Don Lemon happens to be one of the journalist they contacted about their protest, in order for their protest to be recorded and published.
Georgia Fort was the other journalist. One local (Georgia) and one national (Don Lemon).

imo

Link that states that Nekima Levy Armstrong is civil rights attorney ...

Nekima Levy Armstrong: Why We Protested at Cities Church in Saint Paul, and What Our Arrests Mean

Instead, Armstrong and Allen were taken to the Sherburne County Jail using three sets of restraints “as if we were hardened criminals and murderers. We had ankle shackles on our ankles, we had belly chains around our waist, and we had handcuffs with bars in the middle. As someone who majored in Af

www.womenspress.com

 

[Cryptic]

Two of the redacted names in the charging documents are of defendants. There are numerous other redactions throughout the document but it's not certain in many cases who those people are.

It's my speculation that at least some of the people involved in this may have had a drastic change of heart. I'd hope seeing terrified kids and elderly folks would have been enough to stop them in their tracks. Maybe it did.

Color me cynical cinnamon, but....

If drastic changes have occurred, my bet is that they are due to pure, olde fashioned, and ever applicable.....self interest and not due to any feelings towards the victims.

I wish we had a member who would know about what the redaction of the names could mean. On the brighter side, I think that fragmentation is inevitable. In the end, the group as a whole might not have a strong sociological set up:

- no long term affiliation with each other, no prior expectation that they were risking prison, participation seems to be more of a coalition than a unified group- thus fewer bonds with organizers etc.

As to whether the fragmentation will include providing information about Lemon is a different matter though. There might not be any more derogatory information that they can offer. But..... its equally possible that there is.

 

[PrairieWind]

Just my own impressions from the few short videos I was able to find, but it didn’t seem like DL was physically obstructing or intimidating the pastor. They were standing close together but that likely was due to how loud the space was around them due to the protests of course. Also, their conversation was more amicable than I pictured based off the affidavit.

It also didn’t look like DL was obstructing the doorways or parishioners as they worshipped or moved about the church.

Also, he seemed more empathetic or understanding than I originally thought based off the affidavit when speaking of the child who became visibly upset. At least to me, at first, his words at first came off as cold but his tone and expression conveyed warmth or at least he cared or was concerned.

Of course, more recordings and testimony is likely to be made available during the trial, I had just wanted to see if there was any more information out there to compare to the affidavit.

MOO/my own speculation

There is no question that DL speaks with the organizer before about the intent to "disrupt" the service. That is a crime. <modsnip: off topic>. But he walked in there himself and interviewed people in what he knew was a worship service, the pastor saying he had asked them to leave and they would not. There are kids in tears. There is NO question the organizers of the even should be convicted under the FACE act.
Will DL? He knew he was not there to worship, so why did he go in? Could he not have covered the news story from outside without actually participating?

 

[Cryptic]

The church is private property so DL going in uninvited for filming/interviewing during a service is obstruction?

Yes. My bet is that this argument is going to be a big part of the government's case in demonstrating the 'obstruction' component.

 

[Summerliz03]

There is no question that DL speaks with the organizer before about the intent to "disrupt" the service. That is a crime. <modsnip: off topic>. But he walked in there himself and interviewed people in what was supposed to be a worship service, the pastor saying he had asked them to leave and they would not. There are kids in tears. There is NO question the organizers of the even should be convicted under the FACE act.
Will DL? He knew he was not there to worship, so why did he go in? Could he not have covered the news story from outside without actually participating?

<modsnip: Quoted post was modsnipped> In order to get the full scope of the story he was working on, he talked to the protestors both before and after the protest. You say that is a crime, I say the DOJ will have a hard time proving that is a crime, given that the man has been a journalist for 30 years and was there to cover a news story. All MOO.

 

[LAborn]

The protesters may have known they could have an issue. One of the protesters, Nekima Levy Armstrong, is a civil rights attorney.

Protesters can be well aware when they are breaking the law in their protest. This protest seemingly focused on outing a church that hired a senior ICE person as a pastor. (Remember this protest happened 11 days after Renee Good was shot and killed by ICE).

Don Lemon happens to be one of the journalist they contacted about their protest, in order for their protest to be recorded and published.
Georgia Fort was the other journalist. One local (Georgia) and one national (Don Lemon).

imo

Link that states that Nekima Levy Armstrong is civil rights attorney ...

Nekima Levy Armstrong: Why We Protested at Cities Church in Saint Paul, and What Our Arrests Mean

Instead, Armstrong and Allen were taken to the Sherburne County Jail using three sets of restraints “as if we were hardened criminals and murderers. We had ankle shackles on our ankles, we had belly chains around our waist, and we had handcuffs with bars in the middle. As someone who majored in Af

www.womenspress.com

How do you know they contacted Lemon? I hadn't heard that. Thanks. I understand the protesters' motivation, but think they made a misstep by entering the church to protest. They would have been just as effective, if not more so, had they lined the sidewalk in front with signs. JMO

 

[Sillybilly]

The church is private property so DL going in uninvited for filming/interviewing during a service is obstruction?

Churches are private property because they are not owned by the govenment, but members of the public walk into churches worldwide, every single day. AFAIK, the Cities Church does not have a "No Trespassing" or "Private Property" sign (although we know churches ARE privately owned). A church is not normally closed to members of the public, of which the group, including Lemon, were members of the public.

IMO, as far as trespassing, if there was no signage and the door was open to members of the public, it then becomes trespassing only when/if they are asked to leave and do not do so. Someone would have to determine a legally required length of time in which they were required to leave before it constitutes trespassing.

IMO

 

[Cryptic]

Could he not have covered the news story from outside without actually participating?

Thanks for the objective analysis.

As to your question, one detractor might be that Lemon filmed himself with the group preparing for the "secret mission", then he followed the protesters directly to the Church.

This could show more involvement towards participating than a fact pattern of: I got an anonymous tip that something news worthy might occur at this church. I then sat outside and waited. I had no previous contact with the protesters.

 

[Cryptic]

Yes, churches are private property because they are not owned by the govenment, but members of the public walk into churches worldwide, every single day. AFAIK, the Cities Church does not have a "No Trespassing" or "Private Property" sign (although we know churches ARE privately owned). A church is not normally closed to members of the public, of which the group, including Lemon, were members of the public.

With due respect, I don't think this argument is applicable. Churches are private property- full stop period.

Just because most churches allow public access where as some say, Ultra Orthodox Synagogues and Hindu temples can be very restrictive does not diminish the core concepts that

a. They are private property and they alone get to decide (not a lack of signage) who is welcome, and who is not welcome
b. Nobody has an inherent right to protest inside a church, nor to conduct journalism in a church.

For comparison, a mosque close to where I live has an "open" type policy sans signs. I doubt that their open door (shoes off) policy and the lack of "Keep Out" signs voids or diminishes their property and privacy rights in anyway.

 

[Ontario Mom]

From the affidavit FBI affidavit in suport of arrest warrant | PDF | U.S. Immigration And Customs Enforcement | American Government, page 11 point #28.

I find it a little bizarre that a professional journalist would say this or even believe this. Yes it's redacted but it's pretty obvious this was Lemon saying this when you read the context.

 

[Summerliz03]

How do you know they contacted Lemon? I hadn't heard that. Thanks. I understand the protesters' motivation, but think they made a misstep by entering the church to protest. They would have been just as effective, if not more so, had they lined the sidewalk in front with signs. JMO

Here’s an interview with Nekima Armstrong regarding Don Lemon’s involvement. She mentions that Don saw a flyer posted with basic details about the event and he reached out to her to ask questions about the protest.

Edit: I highly recommend everyone spend the 5 minutes to watch the video of her interview about the event. It’s very informative and gives a lot of details about how everything happened and how the DOJ is handling this case.

Nekima Levy Armstrong says Don Lemon didn't know where he was going | CUOMO

Civil rights attorney and ordained minister Nekima Levy Armstrong, the first person arrested for entering the church alongside Don Lemon, joins NewsNation to discuss Lemon’s arrest.

www.yahoo.com

 

[Sillybilly]

With due respect, I think this argument is very faulty. Churches are private property- period, full stop.

Just because most churches allow public access where as some say, Ultra Orthodox Synagogues and Hindu temples can be very restrictive does not diminish the core concept that nobody has an inherent right to protest inside a church.

I was addressing the trespassing aspect not any right to protest.

 

[Friday Fan]

Churches are private property because they are not owned by the govenment, but members of the public walk into churches worldwide, every single day. AFAIK, the Cities Church does not have a "No Trespassing" or "Private Property" sign (although we know churches ARE privately owned). A church is not normally closed to members of the public, of which the group, including Lemon, were members of the public.

IMO, as far as trespassing, if there was no signage and the door was open to members of the public, it then becomes trespassing only when/if they are asked to leave and do not do so. Someone would have to determine a legally required length of time in which they were required to leave before it constitutes trespassing.

IMO

Yep!

Was DL asked to leave and refused? I believe in this case the press would have an obligation to leave.
Then the press goes outside with, "What are they doing that they don't want us to film?"


Was DL charged with trespassing?

 

[PrairieWind]

Churches are private property because they are not owned by the govenment, but members of the public walk into churches worldwide, every single day. AFAIK, the Cities Church does not have a "No Trespassing" or "Private Property" sign (although we know churches ARE privately owned). A church is not normally closed to members of the public, of which the group, including Lemon, were members of the public.

IMO, as far as trespassing, if there was no signage and the door was open to members of the public, it then becomes trespassing only when/if they are asked to leave and do not do so. Someone would have to determine a legally required length of time in which they were required to leave before it constitutes trespassing.

IMO

Do we know when the police arrived? Are they charged with trespassing?

 

[Cryptic]

I was addressing the trespassing aspect not any right to protest.

Even in regards to trespass. Churches are fully private and my bet is that a lack of "Keep out" etc. signs does not diminish that legal status in any way.

Wooded lots may require such signage and / or being asked to leave. But... my guess is that churches are right up there with private homes in regards to being innately private, with or with out signs.

 

[Ontario Mom]

DBM

 

[SouthAussie]

Someone would have to determine a legally required length of time in which they were required to leave before it constitutes trespassing.

IMO

Yes, because Don left 7 minutes after he was asked to leave. Is that "too long" or "reasonable" when asked to leave a seemingly-crowded and chaotic private property?

A pastor at one point asks him to leave. Seven minutes later, he exits the church building.

Feds arrest Don Lemon, Minnesota journalist and 2 others over church protest

Lemon was arrested by U.S. agents days after covering an anti-ICE protest at a St. Paul, Minn., church. U.S. Attorney General Pam Bondi called the protest a "coordinated attack."

www.wuft.org