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

[BayouBelle_LA]

A journalist can be an agitator. imo

How many protesters did Lemon interview while inside the church? Did he ever once question the behavior of the protesters?

 

[CSIDreamer]

The main thing I’ve said over and over in this thread is that Don was working as a journalist. I am separating him from the protestors because he was not one and frankly, I think it’s a mistake for the DOJ to try to lump him in to this indictment with the protestors because they are completely removing his agency as a journalist from the situation. I believe that’s why 4 judges (1 solo magistrate judge and a panel of 3 judges) had rejected to issue an arrest warrant for him. I am not debating whether the protestors should be arrested. I would like to see evidence that Don acted as a co- conspirator to plan or set up the protest and I haven’t seen that at this point. If evidence comes out about this, I’m more than willing to change my stance about this case. All MOO.

First, I have thoroughly enjoyed chatting our sides with you.

I've been mulling something over all day. And this is for everyone, not just directed at you.

If a journalist, who is normally protected under the first amendment, intentionally infringes on someone else's first amendment rights (including the FACE act) are they still a protected journalist or just someone breaking the law?

Food for thought, folks.

JMO

 

[LAborn]

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

Thank you!! I couldn't get that link to work, but found it on youtube. Agree, everyone should watch this!

 

[Summerliz03]

If a journalist, who is normally protected under the first amendment, intentionally infringes on someone else's first amendment rights (including the FACE act) are they still a protected journalist or just someone breaking the law?

Food for thought, folks.

JMO

I guess that is definitely the million dollar question here! I know the saying is your rights end where mine begin, but again, I think it will be up to the DOJ to prove this. I am curious to see how the first hearing on the 9th goes. All MOO.

 

[Cryptic]

I've been mulling something over all day. And this is for everyone, not just directed at you.

If a journalist, who is normally protected under the first amendment, intentionally infringes on someone else's first amendment rights (including the FACE act) are they still a protected journalist or just someone breaking the law?

Based on @PrairieWind 's answer to a similar question, I am betting that a journalist infringing on amendment rights is no longer functioning as a journalist.

But.... as Prariewind related, it likely does not matter in this case. Rather, the core concept seems to be: Did a human infringe on amendment rights in a place of worship?

The human's occupation, even as a journalist, does not seem to matter.

 

[otto]

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

What I have read is that he is an independent journalist with a youtube channel. I have not seen that he is affiliated with any news organization.

 

[Hexe]

A journalist can be an agitator. imo

Of course. That though is not a crime.

How many protesters did Lemon interview while inside the church?

He interviewed protesters before the action.

Did he ever once question the behavior of the protesters?

Not doing that is not a crime, neither does it mean Lemon was a protester himself.

MOO

 

[Hexe]

Rather, the core concept seems to be: Did a human infringe on amendment rights in a place of worship?

Well? Is there any evidence Lemon infringed on amendment rights?

MOO

 

[Ontario Mom]

First, I have thoroughly enjoyed chatting our sides with you.

I've been mulling something over all day. And this is for everyone, not just directed at you.

If a journalist, who is normally protected under the first amendment, intentionally infringes on someone else's first amendment rights (including the FACE act) are they still a protected journalist or just someone breaking the law?

Food for thought, folks.

JMO

All rights come with responsibilities. I think we all learned that in grade school.
If a person intentionally infringes on another person's rights they have broken the law.
No amount of credentials, fame, or anything else matters.
There aren't any exceptions to this under the federal statute.
Nor should there be.

jmo

 

[Sillybilly]

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

I don't know when police arrived. Members had brought up that there was trespassing but the group is not charged with that.

The charge is:

"According to court documents, Lemon and eight co-defendants were all indicted on one count each of conspiracy against religious freedom at a place of worship and injuring, intimidating and interfering with the exercise of the right of religious freedom at a place of worship. He did not enter a plea on Friday. His next hearing is scheduled for Feb. 9 in federal court in Minneapolis. "

 

[Sundog]

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

I'm surprised that there weren't more targeted questions, since Cuomo didn't ask the protest leader if Don Lemon knew about the target of the protest (i.e. the church) when they all met in the parking lot. That was a point at which he could have decided it wasn't appropriate, given the FACT Act and basic journalistic ethics which would likely include not entering a church with protesters and disrupting a church service on a Sunday morning. Whether he knew about what was going to happen at the meet-up or outside of the Church, there were choice points for him before entering the Church. I doubt he was blindfolded on the drive there and suspect he knew where they were going when he got into the vehicle to head over to the Church.

Also, the protest leader in this interview says to Cuomo that the entire group didn't know what they were going to do even while they were sitting in the church before they stood up and started yelling and screaming. The organizer told Cuomo that she decided that something that the Pastor said in his prayer to the congregation made her get up and approach the Pastor and then lead the protest of the group. I find that ingenuous. They were going to protest no matter what. I guess they were looking for a "sign" and decided this would be it. If it wasn't this "sign" it would have been another one. Just ingenuous, imo.

 

[Cryptic]

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

Do you have any input on whether places of worship are like private homes, back yards etc and are inherently private?

If churches etc. are innately private trespass may well still occur even with out being told to leave or having posted "Keep out" signs.

But if places of worship are like stores or wooded lots in regards to innate privacy, then signs or the need to be told to leave comes into play.

What is your opinion? Very interested in it.

 

[PrairieWind]

Well? Is there any evidence Lemon infringed on amendment rights?

MOO

The question is whether Lemon has violated the FACE Act. There is no question he is aware of the planned disruption of a scheduled worship service, and that he enters with them, and during the time of this worship service is interviewing a pastor that has indicated he has asked the protesters to leave. Clearly Lemon's own interview is disrupting the service.

 

[SouthAussie]

If a journalist, who is normally protected under the first amendment, intentionally infringes on someone else's first amendment rights (including the FACE act) are they still a protected journalist or just someone breaking the law?

Food for thought, folks.

JMO

That is exactly what the court will determine. So far, 4 judges have indicated that they saw no probable cause.

" ...but the chief federal judge in Minneapolis declined to allow the case because he saw no probable cause to arrest the longtime journalist."

https://www.politico.com/news/2026/01/30/don-lemon-arrest-minnesota-protest-00756892

"A federal appeals court brushed back a secretive, emergency effort by the Justice Department to revive rejected arrest warrants for Don Lemon and four other people prosecutors say committed crimes by barging into a St. Paul church last weekend. ... a three-judge panel of the appeals court rejected the Trump administration’s demand."

https://www.politico.com/news/2026/01/24/doj-trump-minnesota-don-lemon-protest-00745589

 

[Sundog]

A journalist can be an agitator. imo

How many protesters did Lemon interview while inside the church? Did he ever once question the behavior of the protesters?

That's a significant observation. And telling, imo.

 

[MrsWatson]

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.

If it was a "secret mission" why were flyers posted around town advertising it?

 

[Ontario Mom]

Well? Is there any evidence Lemon infringed on amendment rights?

MOO

He filmed himself doing it.

He literally livestreamed himself in a church, during their regularly schedule time of worship, actively participating in interrupting the service. He wasn't participating in the worship, he was walking around, talking and filming and quite audibly making commentary on what was going on.

Both the affidavit and the indictment spell it all out.
So yes, there is evidence. Lemon made sure of it by recording and publishing on his YT channel.

 

[PrairieWind]

Do you have any input on whether places of worship are like private homes, back yards etc and are inherently private?

If churches etc. are innately private trespass may well still occur even with out being told to leave or having posted "Keep out" signs.

But if places of worship are like stores or wooded lots in regards to innate privacy, then signs or the need to be told to leave comes into play.

What is your opinion? Very interested in it.

Churches are "private property" in that they are privately held. They are not "open to the public" in that they must serve all that come in. Their doors are open to those to worship. So in some ways it is like your home. But the trespass question, to me, is a red-herring. Yes, they trespassed. they were asked to leave and did not. But the federal charges are in regards to the FACE Act, not trespass.
Did the police ever respond to this church?

 

[CSIDreamer]

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

They were dispatched at 10:40 a.m. I'm still zooming in and reading.

Page 14, starts at the bottom.

FBI affidavit in suport of arrest warrant | PDF | U.S. Immigration And Customs Enforcement | American Government

This affidavit, submitted by Special Agent Timothy Gerber, outlines the investigation into a group of agitators who disrupted a religious service at Cities Church in St. Paul, MN on January 18, 2026. The group, led by Nekima Valdez Levy-Armstrong and Chauntyll Louisa Allen, coordinated their...

www.scribd.com

 

[otto]

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

Churches are by definition private property. Don Lemon was asked to leave. Lemon's response was to ask whether the pastor did not want him to worship.

Lemon did not leave as requested, and remained in the church for another 13 minutes. Was Lemon prevented from leaving? That has not been reported.

"The First Amendment ... does not provide journalists with a general right to access private property without permission.

Churches and houses of worship are private property. Entry without consent, particularly during an active religious service, may constitute trespass regardless of journalistic intent or purpose. Newsgathering does not override property rights, and journalists are subject to the same access limitations as the general public.
...

Trespass: Entering or remaining on private property without permission. Journalistic purpose does not negate trespass laws.

Cases involving journalism often involve overlapping constitutional interests."

Why First Amendment Protections Are Limited in the Don Lemon Arrest — EEW Magazine

We go deeper into First Amendment limits, private property rights, and federal protections for religious worship.

www.eewmagazineonline.com

FBI affidavit in suport of arrest warrant | PDF | U.S. Immigration And Customs Enforcement | American Government

This affidavit, submitted by Special Agent Timothy Gerber, outlines the investigation into a group of agitators who disrupted a religious service at Cities Church in St. Paul, MN on January 18, 2026. The group, led by Nekima Valdez Levy-Armstrong and Chauntyll Louisa Allen, coordinated their...

www.scribd.com