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According to reporting from The Temple News, Richardson “helped Lemon with ‘logistics and local contacts’ and appeared in a video before his arrest saying he supported the protest as a matter of conscience and faith.”
Those admissions are difficult to square with Lemon’s claim that he was merely an observer.
Richardson appeared in federal court after turning himself in and was released pending trial. A GoFundMe page has since been launched to help cover his legal expenses. The charges stem from allegations that the protest was a coordinated effort to disrupt a religious gathering, potentially violating federal protections for religious freedom.
The Department of Justice has made it clear the case is being taken seriously.
“If you riot in a place of worship, we WILL find you,” Attorney General Pam Bondi wrote Monday on X.
She followed that warning with a confirmation of additional arrests tied to the incident.
“We have made two more arrests in connection with the coordinated attack on Cities Church in St. Paul, Minnesota: Ian Davis Austin and Jerome Deangelo Richardson,” she added.
Lemon himself was arrested last week and appeared in court in Los Angeles before being released without bail. He is scheduled to appear next in Minneapolis on February 9.
The protest in question involved demonstrators entering the church mid service and chanting political slogans, halting worship and creating panic among congregants. Authorities say the disruption was not spontaneous but planned.
Richardson’s own social media posts appear to support that conclusion.
In an Instagram post, he described himself as someone who “assisted Don Lemon” with “logistics and connecting him with local contacts to report on ICE-led Minnesota Operation Surge.”
He also claimed political persecution, writing, “As a consequence of this support, I am now being targeted by the Trump administration. I am speaking out now because I anticipate being in federal custody sometime in the near future.”
Richardson went on to ask followers for prayers, encouraged them to “not stop fighting for justice,” and requested donations for his legal defense.
Federal prosecutors allege that those involved conspired to prevent worshippers from freely practicing their religion, a charge that carries serious consequences under federal law.
Temple University has acknowledged the arrest but declined to comment further.
University spokesperson Steve Orbanek said the institution is aware of the situation but would not address details while the case remains active.
“The circumstances surrounding this matter are developing,” Orbanek said. “Out of respect for the privacy of the student and the ongoing legal process, the University will not comment on the specifics.”
He added that the university supports the First Amendment but encourages students to advocate “thoughtfully and lawfully.”
As the legal process unfolds, Lemon’s insistence that he was simply doing his job as a journalist is being scrutinized more closely than ever. If prosecutors can demonstrate coordination rather than observation, the First Amendment defense may not hold.
For now, one thing is clear. The line between reporting on activism and participating in it has become the central question in a case that could have major implications for media accountability and the limits of press protections.
