Independent journalist Don Lemon was released without bail from court on Friday after his first appearance following his arrest by federal agents for his presence at an anti-ICE protest at a church in St. Paul, Minnesota earlier this month.
Lemon and others face charges under two federal statutes, conspiracy to deprive rights and violating the Freedom of Access to Clinic Entrances (FACE) Act, which in part prevents one from interfering with someone’s First Amendment right of religious freedom.
While the government filed the case in Minnesota, Lemon was arrested in Los Angeles as he prepared to cover Sunday’s Grammy Awards. He was being held at the Edward R. Roybal Federal Building and U.S. Courthouse.
Those who appeared at the courthouse, according to Los Angeles-based courts reporter Meghann Cuniff, include Lemon‘s husband, Tim Malone; Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass; and officials from the Department of Homeland Security, the first agency to confirm the specific charges against Lemon.
Attorney General Pam Bondi wroteFriday morning on X that, “at my direction,” federal agents arrested Lemon, independent journalist Georgia Fort, Trahern Jeen Crews and Jamael Lydell Lundy in connection with the protest.” Fort was released on Friday afternoon.
Lemon and his producer reported on a Jan. 18 protest at a St. Paul church, where protesters believed one of the pastors was an Immigration and Customs Enforcement official. The two were given advance notice of the protest, followed the protestors, commented on the protests and interviewed both the pastor on duty and the demonstrators, but Lemon did not specifically demonstrate. Lemon has defended his actions as “an act of journalism.”
“Don has been a journalist for 30 years, and his constitutionally protected work in Minneapolis was no different than what he has always done,” his attorney Abbe Lowell said in a statement earlier on Friday. “The First Amendment exists to protect journalists whose role it is to shine light on the truth and hold those in power accountable. There is no more important time for people like Don to be doing this work.”
“Instead of investigating the federal agents who killed two peaceful Minnesota protesters, the Trump Justice Department is devoting its time, attention and resources to this arrest, and that is the real indictment of wrongdoing in this case,” Lowell added. “This unprecedented attack on the First Amendment and transparent attempt to distract attention from the many crises facing this administration will not stand. Don will fight these charges vigorously and thoroughly in court.”
While the White House has touted the arrest of Lemon on its X page, journalists, politicians and press freedom advocates have railed against the arrests as an infringement of Lemon and Fort’s constitutional protections as journalists.
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