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

[SouthAussie]

[Georgia] Fort, in an interview with MS NOW’s Rachel Maddow on Monday, said it was “extremely traumatic” for her family when nearly two dozen agents came to her house to arrest her. She has three daughters, and initially thought the youngest two -- aged seven and eight -- slept through most of it.

“I did find out at some point my eight-year-old woke up but she was so terrified, she just laid in her bed and cried,”

Fort said there’s been a strategic attack on the press for some time, but the arrests of her and Lemon takes things to a new level. “I really want American people to understand, attacking the press is not simply attacking journalists,” she said. “It’s attacking the public’s right to know.”

Don Lemon says a dozen agents were sent to arrest him even though he offered to turn himself in

Independent journalist Don Lemon said about a dozen federal agents came to his Los Angeles hotel to arrest him last week, even though his attorney had told authorities he would turn himself in to face federal civil rights charges over his coverage of an anti-immigration enforcement protest that...

www.ctvnews.ca

 

[shotgun09]

[Georgia] Fort, in an interview with MS NOW’s Rachel Maddow on Monday, said it was “extremely traumatic” for her family when nearly two dozen agents came to her house to arrest her. She has three daughters, and initially thought the youngest two -- aged seven and eight -- slept through most of it.

“I did find out at some point my eight-year-old woke up but she was so terrified, she just laid in her bed and cried,”

Fort said there’s been a strategic attack on the press for some time, but the arrests of her and Lemon takes things to a new level. “I really want American people to understand, attacking the press is not simply attacking journalists,” she said. “It’s attacking the public’s right to know.”

Don Lemon says a dozen agents were sent to arrest him even though he offered to turn himself in

Independent journalist Don Lemon said about a dozen federal agents came to his Los Angeles hotel to arrest him last week, even though his attorney had told authorities he would turn himself in to face federal civil rights charges over his coverage of an anti-immigration enforcement protest that...

www.ctvnews.ca

I agree that it had to be terrifying for Fort's children. I personally wish that on no child. But, I wonder where the thoughts of terrifying children was when Ms Fort was allegedly in a church, participating and encouraging terrifying young children ( amongst others ) herself? Pot meet kettle, so they say. IMO

 

[SouthAussie]

I agree that it had to be terrifying for Fort's children. I personally wish that on no child. But, I wonder where the thoughts of terrifying children was when Ms Fort was allegedly in a church, participating and encouraging terrifying young children ( amongst others ) herself? Pot meet kettle, so they say. IMO

Yes, but I also think they were thinking of all the little children who are being terrified by ICE, when Don and Georgia documented that protest. And the children who lost their mother when Renee Good was shot and killed by ICE.

It is so sad that all the children have to be caught up in these adult problems.

imo

 

[concernedcitizen706]

"Freedom of Access to Clinic Entrances Act of 1994

Amends the Federal criminal code to prohibit: (2) intentionally injuring, intimidating, or interfering with, or attempting to injure, intimidate, or interfere, any person by FORCE, threat of force, or physical obstruction exercising or seeking to exercise the First Amendment right of religious freedom at a place of religious worship"

https://www.congress.gov/bill/103rd-congress/senate-bill/636

People seem to forget the uses of the word FORCE, or threat of force, in the law. Or physical obstruction.

None of which Don Lemon did. So Don Lemon was falsely arrested, as well as the other journalists.

Force has a real meaning and that would mean using physical force or some kind of physical intimidation. Walking into a church and politely interviewing people is not the threat of force.

---- And just to expand on that more. If the element of the use of force was not important to the law, then the law would have been stated differently. The law would have been written like this:

"Amends the Federal criminal code to prohibit: (2) intentionally injuring, intimidating, or interfering with, any person exercising or seeking to exercise the First Amendment right of religious freedom at a place of religious worship"

If that's how the law was written, then you could maybe argue Don Lemon was guilty, with possibly the term interfering applying. But that's not how the law was written. So proving the use of FORCE is an important part of the law. Perhaps the law has been wrongfully used in the past, but that should stop now.

 

[BeginnerSleuther]

That is not accurate according to the PC affidavit. Protestors on site at the church made it clear they were there protesting ICE, and at that church specifically due to Pastor Easterwood's connection to US federal immigration.

The pastors and/or leaders of that church and what they believe about Christian Nationalism was never once mentioned in any of the charging documents as the reason for the protest.

ETA: See pages 3, 5, 6, 9, 10 and 11 FBI affidavit in suport of arrest warrant | PDF | U.S. Immigration And Customs Enforcement | American Government

According to the protestors this was all about ICE, and had nothing whatsoever to do with Christian Nationalism or white nationalism, or any other issue.

The charging documents are highly biased, IMO. That's why they were forced to go the GJ route in the first place. Through the news articles already posted, it seems the protestors knew about the pastor was both with ICE and accused of white supremacy. I'm going to assume Christian nationalism as well, but I could be wrong and they could be mixing up white supremacy with Christian nationalism.

MOO.

 

[BeginnerSleuther]

Any claim of “journalist” status is contradicted by his conduct, which aligns with that of a protester. imo

Can you be specific about what conduct aligns with that of a protestor instead of a journalist?

 

[BayouBelle_LA]

Can you be specific about what conduct aligns with that of a protestor instead of a journalist?

I was answering a question.

 

[BeginnerSleuther]

Sure, but federal immigration officers are picking up anyone who is an illegal immigrant, or who is an immigrant with a criminal history. Caucasian Canadians have been picked up and put in detention.

False. They are picking up whoever they want and that's why there are protestors, that's why people with racial justice motives are involved, that's why Don Lemon was even there in the first place. Any journalist would be there (and were). There are several examples of people who are here legally and have done nothing wrong who have been picked up and detained or deported, which is 100% against our laws and Constitution. THAT'S what people are protesting and that's why they went into the church to protest the pastor, IMO.

'I was numb': Mistakenly deported US college student says her life was turned upside down

A Massachusetts college student mistakenly deported to Honduras said the experience left her in shock and numb and wondering why she had been detained.

www.kcra.com

Detention of Rümeysa Öztürk - Wikipedia

en.wikipedia.org

https://www.cato.org/blog/1/5-ice-arrests-are-latinos-streets-no-criminal-past-or-removal-order

Visas revoked from students at multiple Maryland universities

Multiple Maryland universities are seeing student visas revoked, 11 News confirmed Tuesday.

www.wbaltv.com

https://www.congress.gov/119/meeting/house/118692/documents/HMKP-119-JU00-20251118-SD001.pdf

https://www.cato.org/blog/5-ice-detainees-have-violent-convictions-73-no-convictions

I'm not convinced that "racialjusticemn" and "white supremacy" causes can be connected to federal immigration officers. It could be interpreted that people who have something to say about "racialjusticemn" and "white supremacy" are using ongoing protests against federal immigration law to further their cause.

Case in point:

https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/british-columbia/jasmine-mooney-ice-detainee-canada-mexico-border-work-visa-1.7501758

It might also be interpreted that we are living in unprecedented times when federal officers are allowed to kill two US citizens without facing any consequences, and those with an interest in racial justice find alignment with the cause of protestors against this particular cause. That motive brought them together. They went into the church for that reason,. It isn't exactly unrelated.

MOO.

 

[BeginnerSleuther]

I was answering a question.

I know, and I'm asking a question about your answer. I'd love some elaboration because I'm confused on how his conduct could be interpreted as that of a protestor instead of a journalist.

 

[Smelly Squirrel]

False. They are picking up whoever they want and that's why there are protestors, that's why people with racial justice motives are involved, that's why Don Lemon was even there in the first place. Any journalist would be there (and were). There are several examples of people who are here legally and have done nothing wrong who have been picked up and detained or deported, which is 100% against our laws and Constitution. THAT'S what people are protesting and that's why they went into the church to protest the pastor, IMO.

'I was numb': Mistakenly deported US college student says her life was turned upside down

A Massachusetts college student mistakenly deported to Honduras said the experience left her in shock and numb and wondering why she had been detained.

www.kcra.com

Detention of Rümeysa Öztürk - Wikipedia

en.wikipedia.org

https://www.cato.org/blog/1/5-ice-arrests-are-latinos-streets-no-criminal-past-or-removal-order

Visas revoked from students at multiple Maryland universities

Multiple Maryland universities are seeing student visas revoked, 11 News confirmed Tuesday.

www.wbaltv.com

https://www.congress.gov/119/meeting/house/118692/documents/HMKP-119-JU00-20251118-SD001.pdf

https://www.cato.org/blog/5-ice-detainees-have-violent-convictions-73-no-convictions

Yep, in practice, it doesn't matter to ICE if you're here legally or even a citizen.

This is from October.

More Than 170 U.S. Citizens Have Been Held by Immigration Agents. They’ve Been Kicked, Dragged and Detained for Days.

The government does not track how often immigration agents grab citizens. So ProPublica did. Our tally — almost certainly incomplete — includes people who were held for days without a lawyer. And nearly 20 children, two of whom have cancer.

www.propublica.org

 

[Ruminations]

I agree that it had to be terrifying for Fort's children. I personally wish that on no child. But, I wonder where the thoughts of terrifying children was when Ms Fort was allegedly in a church, participating and encouraging terrifying young children ( amongst others ) herself? Pot meet kettle, so they say. IMO

This is a stunning comment, considering what ICE is doing to children on the daily. MN schools have to sue ICE. The federal government has recently allowed ICE to raid churches and other places of worship.

MOO

 

[Izzylizzy]

Yeah but to be fair, according to Lawfare Media, it is rare for grand juries, 1/10,000, to not return with an indictment. They noted that for federal grand juries in particular, basically every case comes back with an indictment due to factors such as relying more on majority, rather than unanimous, vote, requiring lower standard of proof in probable cause instead of of “beyond a reasonable doubt” and unlike in trial, grand jury members can hear hearsay.

On January 20th Judge Micko, the magistrate judge, warned the government that if they were to resubmit their application again he would not review it on an expedited basis like he did the first time. However, since the DOJ wanted to arrests all 8 defendants before the weekend, it makes sense that he would recommend that the government consider using a grand jury to address both their time constraints and the high likelihood of getting their indictment with this method.

It appears however, according to the DOJ’s appeal petition, that Bondi was told the next grand jury would not be available until the following Tuesday January 27th. According to the DOJ’s this would be too late as they did not want to wait until after the weekend and thus chose to follow the judge’s other recommendation to try to appeal with the hope to get a decision sooner.

JMO/my understanding from the docs below

https://www.courtlistener.com/docket/72185493/00805439003/1/in-re-united-states-of-america/

The Grand Jury Strikes Back

In rejecting indictments that overcharge, grand juries are returning to their constitutional mission of preventing government overreach.

www.lawfaremedia.org

'This creates some real concerns' | Judge says US Attorney Pirro's office has dismissed 11 felony cases over the past month

A magistrate judge says D.C.'s federal court is disturbed by the high rate of dismissals in felony cases since August.

www.wusa9.com

I wouldn't have put it past Bondi to have presented her case to the Grand Jury herself.
Hoping for enough star struck jurors,
Has it been reported anywhere who presented it?
imo

 

[witchway]

I wouldn't have put it past Bondi to have presented her case to the Grand Jury herself.
Hoping for enough star struck jurors,
Has it been reported anywhere who presented it?
imo

Not even the indictment is signed by the attorney that presented to the Grand Jury.

 

[Summerliz03]

Not even the indictment is signed by the attorney that presented to the Grand Jury.

It’s very odd to me that it wasn’t signed by any attorney. Like I’m assuming that is not a normal practice? I’m not well versed in indictments to know but it seems extremely weird. Just MOO.

 

[otto]

I agree that it had to be terrifying for Fort's children. I personally wish that on no child. But, I wonder where the thoughts of terrifying children was when Ms Fort was allegedly in a church, participating and encouraging terrifying young children ( amongst others ) herself? Pot meet kettle, so they say. IMO

Exactly. Black lives matter and racialjusticeMN plus an independent reporter (all linked upthread) who held unverified beliefs about a church congregation went to their church to inform the congregation that a member of their church is a federal officer. Rather than hand out pamplets, or speak to the congregation after their religious meeting, they disrupted the meeting and traumatized families and children.

I hope no one responds to imply that this was justified because of something that federal officers do.

These were families with children at church on Sunday morning. No one in the church had anything to do with federal officers.

 

[witchway]

It’s very odd to me that it wasn’t signed by any attorney. Like I’m assuming that is not a normal practice? I’m not well versed in indictments to know but it seems extremely weird. Just MOO.

Thats what struck me when I compared to another indictment here. But I really don’t know.

 

[Izzylizzy]

Not even the indictment is signed by the attorney that presented to the Grand Jury.

Yes and that only reinforced my thinking that it was Bondi and she can't take anymore heat.

Yesterday I really appreciated it when you posted DL's indictment when I mused the same thought about Bondi.
Maybe someone will come across the answer somewhere? lol
imo


"Don Lemon Indictment page 14 Don Lemon indictment"

 

[Ruminations]

Yes and that only reinforced my thinking that it was Bondi and she can't take anymore heat.

Yesterday I really appreciated it when you posted DL's indictment when I mused the same thought about Bondi.
Maybe someone will come across the answer somewhere? lol
imo


"Don Lemon Indictment page 14 Don Lemon indictment"

I hadn't read it until now.


Not Lemon in particular, but it looks to me like someone may have gotten into good trouble. I see weekends at community service for some protesters. And they may think it was worth it.


This arrest was not about freedom of religion. It was about eroding freedom of speech.


MOO

 

[concernedcitizen706]

Personally I think Don Lemon was set up by somebody in the group. And it went high up. Because somebody knew that protesting in a church was a big deal. Whereas most people don't really get that. They probably don't understand why protesting in a church is a bigger deal, legally, than say protesting in like a store or a restaurant.

Because it's interesting that somebody led the group right there, right during the service, right when Don was there. Right to a federal charge. I don't think it's coincidental. Especially after we knew Don was on the political radar and they were looking for a way to silence journalists like they do it in Russia. Someone who well studied the US laws came up with this plot.

So yeah I think it's highly likely Don got set up to face serious charges. Watching him interviewing there, it's clear he didn't know, because he was like, Hey we're just exercising our first amendment right here. He didn't seem worried about it at all. So he clearly didn't realize that it was violating a federal law.

But actually it should not violate a federal law, because the federal law writes that you have to use force. Apparently the law has not been used that way in practice and has been overstretched. But I think Don can get out of it with a good attorney.