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

[otto]

Apparently, Don Lemon's video (which the Washington Post analysed) shows that he left the church building 7 minutes after he was asked to leave.

Then he stood outside and began interviewing those outside.

View attachment 641300

https://www.washingtonpost.com/investigations/2026/01/23/don-lemon-minneapolis/

Legal documents state that Lemon left the church 13 minutes after he was asked to leave.

Legal documents are not based on material produced by the accused.

p.13

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

 

[Greenestdays]

Is video required, or is the affidavit sworn by church victims sufficient?

Video actually would be very helpful, because we have two very high profile examples from the past month where the “party line” and actual witness videos were highly contradictory.


It’s Alex’s and Renee’s shootings I’m hinting at, just in case that wasn’t clear.

 

[keek]

It's really hard to read this affidavit. People thought there was going to be a mass shooting. Children said to their parents after the service "Daddy, I thought we were going to die."

Shameful, evil.

Oh, are there interviews with the people in the church? I thought they may not want to. IMO

 

[SouthAussie]

Legal documents state that Lemon left the church 13 minutes after he was asked to leave.

Legal documents are not based on material produced by the accused.

View attachment 641304
p.13

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

Yes, and legal documents can seem misleading. I think Don may have left the church property after "approximately 13 minutes".
The Washington Post's opinion is that Don left the church building 7 minutes after he was asked to leave. Then he stood outside near the entrance, interviewing people.

 

[otto]

Yes, and legal documents can seem misleading. I think Don may have left the church property after "approximately 13 minutes".
The Washington Post's opinion is that Don left the church building 7 minutes after he was asked to leave. Then he stood outside near the entrance, interviewing people.

That's not what is stated in legal documents

same link

 

[Sundog]

Oh, are there interviews with the people in the church? I thought they may not want to. IMO

They are in the indictment that several people have posted upthread.

 

[keek]

Oh, are there interviews with the people in the church? I thought they may not want to. IMO

I saw one or two in the very beginng, prob that day by a reporter, the woman said she had no idea about the church pastor being an ice member. Started me wondering what exactly was that particular church about. IMO

 

[SouthAussie]

That's not what is stated in legal documents

View attachment 641306
same link

Yes. My response remains the same. They could be saying that "Cities Church" means the church's property. Not inside the church building as you have stated in a previous post.

He seems to have left the actual building within 7 minutes. Then stood outside near the entrance, interviewing people. As per the Washington Post article.
Maybe still on the church's property, but outside.

 

[keek]

They're in the indictment that several people have posted upthread.

Oh, by Bondi? That's not credible to many unfortunately, she has that agenda. These daysss are not the same as past days. Hopefully there is video from others inside the church, the members to see. IMO

 

[otto]

Video actually would be very helpful, because we have two very high profile examples from the past month where the “party line” and actual witness videos were highly contradictory.


It’s Alex’s and Renee’s shootings I’m hinting at, just in case that wasn’t clear.

Given the information included in the affidavit, it sounds - in my opinion - like many families and children were interviewed. I assume that those witness accounts were consistent, and not contradictory. They described their experience in the church at the time that 20-40 people entered the church to disrupt the meeting.

Did the following happen, or is there a conspiracy amongst the church congregation to present false testimony? If so, to what end?

 

[Hexe]

You said he started to make live commentary after the protest started. I replied to that.

Lemon went with his mike on but did not utter a word from inside the church until the protest started. How was he disrupting the service?

 

[Magic8Ball]

I find it strange that he says “You don’t want us to worship”. He included himself by using the word “us”. What a strange thing to ask since they disrupted the worship service. imo

A whole lot of "us" and "we" language from DL vs. the more third-person language of an onlooker, i.e., "journalist."

Also, "You don't want us to worship?" is patently disingenuous.

Had DL been there to worship, he would have come in and taken a seat quietly in a pew amongst the congregation.

He barged in with a loud group of politically extremist agitators.

Everyone knows he wasn't there to worship.

He was there to "report." Or something.

JMO.

 

[SouthAussie]

Oh, by Bondi? That's not credible to many unfortunately, she has that agenda. These daysss are not the same as past days. Hopefully there is video from others inside the church, the members to see. IMO

Bondi has been unsuccessful in prosecuting others recently. Don Lemon's case may well be the same. imo

A federal judge on Monday dropped the criminal indictments against former FBI Director James Comey and New York Attorney General Letitia James

MAGA Demands Bondi’s Head After Failed Comey Indictment

Donald Trump’s supporters are out for blood after the case against former FBI Director James Comey fell apart.

www.yahoo.com

 

[Rolypolyoly]

That someone else who was a local drove the car, doesn't mean that Lemon didn't know where they were going, i.e. to a church. Lemon was not a local and being driven by a local makes sense due to knowing how to get to the church. It doesn't mean that he didn't know where they were going.

It doesn’t mean he did either, and as the woman who arranged the protest told us in her own words that he did not know where they were going, even as they left the meeting area, and what they were planning to do when they got there, I believe her. Its ok if you dont.

 

[PrairieWind]

Lemon went with his mike on but did not utter a word from inside the church until the protest started. How was he disrupting the service?

Well he then started interviewing people while the chaos ensued, including the pastor who indicated he wanted them to leave. If he was truly reporting on the incident, why did he not interview those disrupting the service?

 

[Greenestdays]

Did the following happen, or is there a conspiracy amongst the church congregation to present false testimony? If so, to what end?

It’s a white nationalist church. You tell me what might have motivated them to choose this path, and how it reflects on their stories they told of that incident.

 

[SouthAussie]

Well he then started interviewing people while the chaos ensued, including the pastor who indicated he wanted them to leave. If he was truly reporting on the incident, why did he not interview those disrupting the service?

He did.

Lemon was at the protest as an independent journalist. Lemon posted video to his Instagram on Jan. 18 showing protesters yelling as well as his interviews with churchgoers and protesters.

Former CNN journalist Don Lemon released following arrest over Minnesota protest: 'I will not be silenced'

Journalist Don Lemon has been arrested in connection with an incident several weeks ago in which anti-ICE protesters disrupted a service at a Minnesota church.

abcnews.go.com

 

[Summerliz03]

Had DL been there to worship, he would have come in and taken a seat quietly in a pew amongst the congregation.

He barged in with a loud group of politically extremist agitators.

Per the video he himself uploaded to YouTube, this is exactly what he did. I don’t know if you have watched the video, but he literally walked into the church completely alone, sat in a pew and said nothing. Even the protesters themselves entered the church quietly, before any sermon began. They took seats in pews and said nothing. Lekima Armstrong, who lead the group, waited until a certain moment in the sermon to approach the pastor and start the protest. All this language that they “barged” or “stormed” into the church and immediately started chanting and protesting is just not correct. IMO.

 

[Rolypolyoly]

Given the information included in the affidavit, it sounds - in my opinion - like many families and children were interviewed. I assume that those witness accounts were consistent, and not contradictory. They described their experience in the church at the time that 20-40 people entered the church to disrupt the meeting.

Did the following happen, or is there a conspiracy amongst the church congregation to present false testimony? If so, to what end?

View attachment 641307

This is generalised though, 20-40 protesters. I dont doubt it happened at all, however this isnt specific to DL, and the timings of him leaving the building?

 

[CSIDreamer]

Oh, by Bondi? That's not credible to many unfortunately, she has that agenda. These daysss are not the same as past days. Hopefully there is video from others inside the church, the members to see. IMO

Not Bondi.

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