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The unsealed federal indictment accuses Lemon and others of conspiring to violate the civil rights of church members. The charging document states that the defendants “conspired and agreed with one another [to] injure, oppress, threaten, and intimidate multiple persons, including the clergy, staff, and congregants of the Cities Church, in the free exercise and enjoyment of the rights and privileges secured to them by the laws of the United States, and because of such persons having exercised such right, namely, exercise of the First Amendment right of religious freedom at a place of religious worship, as secured by Title 18, United States Code, Section 248(c), all in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 241 (Conspiracy Against Rights).”
Authorities also arrested several other individuals connected to the incident. Those taken into custody include Trahern Jeen Crews, Georgia Fort, and Jamael Lydell Lundy. Another journalist and two protest participants were previously arrested in Minnesota.
Attorney General Pam Bondi confirmed the arrests in a public statement, making clear that the action was ordered at the highest level of the Justice Department.
“At my direction, early this morning federal agents arrested Don Lemon, Trahern Jeen Crews, Georgia Fort, and Jamael Lydell Lundy, in connection with the coordinated attack on Cities Church in St. Paul, Minnesota,” Bondi said on social media.
Lemon has denied any wrongdoing and insists he was not part of the protest group that entered the church. He claims he was present solely in his role as a journalist documenting events.
His attorney, Abbe Lowell, echoed that defense in a statement, arguing that Lemon’s actions were protected by the First Amendment.
“Don has been a journalist for 30 years, and his constitutionally protected work in Minneapolis was no different than what he has always done,” Lowell said in a statement earlier Friday. “The First Amendment exists to protect journalists whose role it is to shine light on the truth and hold those in power accountable.”
Lemon was fired from CNN in 2023 after a series of controversies that strained his relationship with the network. Since then, he has positioned himself as an independent media figure while frequently aligning with left wing activist causes.
The case is already igniting debate over the limits of protest, press freedom, and religious liberty. Federal officials argue the charges are not about speech or journalism, but about an alleged effort to intimidate worshipers inside a place of religious worship.
Civil rights statutes cited in the indictment are typically used in cases involving racial violence, threats against voters, or attacks on churches. Their application here signals how seriously the Justice Department views disruptions of religious services.
If convicted, Lemon could face significant legal consequences. The conspiracy charge alone carries potential prison time, raising the stakes for a figure long treated as untouchable in elite media circles.
For many conservatives, the case is being seen as a long overdue moment of accountability, as activists and media personalities alike are reminded that churches are not protest zones and religious freedom is not optional.
As the case moves forward, it is likely to draw national attention and further intensify the cultural battle over immigration, activism, and the boundaries of the First Amendment.
