Don Lemon, former presenter for the American broadcaster CNN, was arrested on charges of violating federal law while covering a protest at a church in Saint Paul, in the state of Minnesota, against the anti-illegal immigration operations of the Donald Trump government, the journalist’s lawyer reported this Friday (30).
Lemon, a 59-year-old independent reporter, was detained last night in Los Angeles while working to cover preparations for the Grammy ceremony, his lawyer, Abbe Lowell, said in a statement.
United States Attorney General Pam Bondi reported in a brief message on social media that Lemon and three other people were arrested on her orders, a fact that generated surprise, given that a judge had rejected the charges brought against the journalist.
On the 19th, Lemon was at a protest in which a group of protesters interrupted a church service to demonstrate against their pastor, who worked for the Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), chanting slogans such as “Out with ICE!”.
The Trump administration’s Justice Department attempted to bring charges against eight people, including the journalist, invoking a law that protects those who attend religious services in houses of worship.
However, a judge who reviewed the evidence authorized charges against only three people and dismissed those brought against Lemon and the other defendants as insufficient.
Prosecutors later asked a federal appeals court to issue arrest warrants, but they were denied.
Lemon’s lawyer said in the statement that the First Amendment to the Constitution, which guarantees freedom of expression, “exists to protect journalists whose job is to shed light on the truth and demand accountability from the powerful.”
In a video on X, Bondi commented on the arrests. “Make no mistake. Under the leadership of President Trump and this administration, you have the right to practice your religion freely and safely,” the attorney general said. “And, in case it wasn’t already clear, if you violate this sacred right, we will come after you.”
