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

[Rolypolyoly]

A woman swore under oath that she suffered a broken arm while fleeing the church with crying children.

A journalist was present. A journalist should report on injuries suffered during the loud, disruptive incident in the church. Because the journalist did not report the injury, we should disbelieve that it happened?

paragraph 43; affidavit in support of arrest warrant

We have absolutely no evidence to suggest that either journalist present witnessed the woman slipping over, and it would appear that she left through a separate door in a different part of the church to where either journalist was located at the time of the incident. Neither journalist present at the scene could report on something they didnt know about .
They are journalists, not psychics!.

 

[waldojabba]

That case is a good contrast to Lemon's to show how much weaker this one is.

Here is Handy's indictment. First of all it's written with much more neutral objective language, compared to the highly politicalized language in Lemon's (like calling defendants "agitators"). The Handy one lists lots of specific acts that are clearly violations of the law, whereas the Lemon indictment has mostly either allegations irrelevant to the charges or describes the acts in vague terms, not specific actions. And where it is in specifics it is contradicted by the video evidence we can see.

It's not surprising since this indictment has been drafted by inexperienced, political appointee hacks, as the career prosecutors in that division either all quit or refused to work on this case. Same goes for the investigator who signed the Affidavit, who is also very inexperienced. He's not even in the FBI, he's a member of ICE and DHS, and only since March of last year. Why the hell is an ICE employee working on a civil rights law case? I guarantee he has no experience in this area. He is very hacky too, he also uses the "agitator" term, and he describes the Renee Good case as: "Good was recently involved in an illegal protest to disrupt immigration enforcement activities, which led to an officer involved shooting as a result of her assault on an immigration officer," when none of that has been adjudicated, nor even investigated. Such gross gaslighting.

The prior cases were also typically filed months, even years, after the incident, but this one was filed within days. Another sign of a hacky hit job, that it's foremost for political purposes not a legitimate pursuit of justice.

Below are some of the overt acts alleged in the Handy case.



An easy open and shut case that plainly violates the FACE Act law.

Here's another case, US v. Citizens for a Pro-Life Society, et al. Handy was charged in that case as well. Many of the defendants in these prior cases are repeat offenders, this complaint details the numerous times each defendant has been arrested for similar acts. So they knew exactly what they were doing, that they're breaking the law, showing clear willful intent, which is quite absent in the Lemon case. Here are some of the allegations in this one:



Another case is US vs Thomas, with another similar fact pattern. This one was filed in 2017, in Trump's first term, back before the recent mass purge of anyone who wouldn't go along with his obscenely corrupt weaponization of the DOJ.

The Lemon indictment doesn't come close to alleging or substantiating anything comparable against Lemon or the protestors. Lemon will easily not be convicted of the charges. And I have doubts about convicting the protestors as well, or if they are, that it will be for light sentences.

Very informational thoughtful post - chock full of old fashioned logic - appreciate it @Smelly Squirrel
jmo

 

[J. J. in Phila]

We have absolutely no evidence to suggest that either journalist present witnessed the woman slipping over, and it would appear that she left through a separate door in a different part of the church to where either journalist was located at the time of the incident. Neither journalist present at the scene could report on something they didnt know about .
They are journalists, not psychics!.

That was not the question that Otto asked.

If something was not reported, does that mean it did not happen. Of course not!

Reporters or observers can miss things. MMO.

 

[Hexe]

That was not the question that Otto asked.

If something was not reported, does that mean it did not happen. Of course not!

Reporters or observers can miss things. MMO.

A journo who missed something does not stop being a journo though.

MOO

 

[J. J. in Phila]

A journo who missed something does not stop being a journo though.

MOO

Otto did not suggest that. I hope that we can agree that thinks happen that are not reported.

MOO

 

[Hexe]

Otto did not suggest that. I hope that we can agree that thinks happen that are not reported.

MOO

Then what is the point of mentioning that accident?

 

[BeginnerSleuther]

Compare both indictments.

They already did. It was posted a few posts above.

 

[BeginnerSleuther]

Being that most analysts recognize the weakness of the case against the protesters and especially against the journalists, they conclude that the point of these legal actions is not to win this case. It is to chill protests and journalism so that extra-judicial killings and kidnappings can continue with less push-back. Thus, even in losing the case, according to persons who support the very unpopular actions of ICE and federal agents, they win. Because they get a little less pushback.

SBMFF.

I agree and I'll take it one step further and say another point is to snag headlines, rile people up and create more divisiveness. Riling up the base by creating a narrative of Christian persecution will ensure they turn out for midterms, no matter how bad the poll numbers are regarding ICE tactics.

 

[J. J. in Phila]

SBMFF.

I agree and I'll take it one step further and say another point is to snag headlines, rile people up and create more divisiveness. Riling up the base by creating a narrative of Christian persecution will ensure they turn out for midterms, no matter how bad the poll numbers are regarding ICE tactics.

MOO.

We would have that going into the church was the Republicans idea, and that they somehow managed to get the protesters into the church. MOO.

 

[J. J. in Phila]

They already did. It was posted a few posts above.

But it was not reasonable comparison.

MOO

 

[Hexe]

Were the people who participated in the demonstration members of the church? Did they use a religious sanctuary for political activism even thoug

I thought Don Lemon is the topic of our discussion, not the protesters.

MOO

 

[J. J. in Phila]

I thought Don Lemon is the topic of our discussion, not the protesters.

MOO

He is part of the indictment of the bigger group.

MOO

 

[Hexe]

He is part of the indictment of the bigger group.

MOO

We are not discussing the validity of arresting the bigger group, though.

 

[J. J. in Phila]

We are not discussing the validity of arresting the bigger group, though.

That is tied in with it, since one f the charges in conspiracy.

MOO

 

[Hexe]

That is tied in with it, since one f the charges in conspiracy.

MOO

Still, the focus of that thread is Don Lemon and his role in the events that played inside of that church. What others did is not relevant.

MOO

 

[BayouBelle_LA]

I thought Don Lemon is the topic of our discussion, not the protesters.

MOO

He was part of the group of protesters. imo

 

[J. J. in Phila]

Still, the focus of that thread is Don Lemon and his role in the events that played inside of that church. What others did is not relevant.

MOO

Part of that is that he is doing it with other people, which is part of Lemon's alleged crime.

His defense so far is that he has a privilege as a journalist. It might be well to Google Judith Miller (reporter) to see how well that works.

MOO.

 

[Hexe]

Part of that is that he is doing it with other people, which is part of Lemon's alleged crime.

He was arrested and will be tried for his own actions, not the actions of other people. So how what the protesters did is relevant here?

MOO

 

[J. J. in Phila]

He was arrested and will be tried for his own actions, not the actions of other people. So how what the protesters did is relevant here?

MOO

He is charged with conspiracy, Here is the definition:

"If two or more persons conspire either to commit any offense against the United States, or to defraud the United States, or any agency thereof in any manner or for any purpose, and one or more of such persons do any act to effect the object of the conspiracy, each shall be fined under this title or imprisoned not more than five years, or both.

If, however, the offense, the commission of which is the object of the conspiracy, is a misdemeanor only, the punishment for such conspiracy shall not exceed the maximum punishment provided for such misdemeanor."

18 U.S. Code § 371 - Conspiracy to commit offense or to defraud United States

www.law.cornell.edu

By definition, it has to involve other people.

MOO.

 

[Hexe]

His defense so far is that he has a privilege as a journalist. It might be well to Google Judith Miller (reporter) to see how well that works.

I'd be grateful for at least providing links instead of vague Google suggestions. As far as I know Jysith Miller was never arrested for anything resembling the indictment against Lemon, but I won't be digging through her whole career to find what you mean.

MOO