Independent journalist and former CNN anchor Don Lemon was arrested by federal agents Friday evening in Los Angeles, according to a statement from his attorney, Abbe Lowell.
The arrest stems from Lemon’s coverage of an anti-ICE protest inside a Minnesota church earlier this month. While specific charges were not immediately disclosed, the detention follows weeks of efforts by the U.S. Department of Justice to pursue charges related to Lemon’s reporting — attempts that had previously been rejected by both a federal magistrate judge and an appeals court.
Lemon was in Los Angeles on assignment, preparing to cover Grammy Awards-related events scheduled for the weekend, when he was taken into custody. The DOJ did not immediately respond to requests for comment.
According to Lowell, Lemon had anticipated continued legal pressure despite earlier judicial refusals to authorize charges. In a statement, Lowell said the arrest represents “an unprecedented attack on the First Amendment” and vowed that Lemon would challenge the case vigorously in court.
The incident at the center of the dispute occurred on Jan. 18 at Cities Church in St. Paul, Minnesota, where demonstrators interrupted a worship service while alleging that one of the church’s pastors worked with Immigration and Customs Enforcement. Lemon livestreamed the protest, interviewing demonstrators, church leaders, and congregants over several hours.
Lemon has consistently stated that he had no affiliation with the protest organizers and was present solely in his role as a journalist. During the livestream, he told viewers, “I’m not here as an activist. I’m here as a journalist.”
Following the protest, Assistant Attorney General Harmeet Dhillon publicly warned Lemon on social media that the First Amendment did not protect what she described as “disrupting a prayer service.” Former President Donald Trump later amplified calls for Lemon’s arrest on Truth Social.
Lemon’s arrest comes amid broader concerns about press freedom under the current administration. Earlier this month, federal agents executed a search warrant at the home of Hannah Natanson, a reporter for The Washington Post, seizing electronic devices containing reporting materials. Although Natanson was not the target of the investigation, the newspaper filed suit seeking their return.
CNN reported that Lemon is expected to make an initial court appearance Friday.
Lemon, 59, spent nearly a decade at CNN before departing in 2023. Since then, he has launched an independent media company and hosts The Don Lemon Show podcast.
More details are expected as the case develops.
Why This Arrest Should Alarm Everyone
This case should not be dismissed as a celebrity journalist facing consequences or a one-off legal dispute. It represents something far more troubling.
When courts reject charges, yet the government continues to escalate — warning journalists publicly, amplifying political attacks, and ultimately making an arrest — the issue stops being about legality and starts being about intimidation. The message is unmistakable: documenting certain stories may come with consequences.
Lemon did not organize the protest. He did not disrupt the service. He did what journalists are supposed to do — show up, observe, document, and inform the public. Treating that work as criminal behavior blurs a dangerous line between reporting and wrongdoing.
Press freedom rarely disappears all at once. It erodes through moments like this — when the cost of doing the job becomes fear, legal peril, or punishment after the fact. Whether one agrees with Lemon or not is irrelevant. The precedent being set matters far more than the individual involved.
Journalism is not activism. Reporting is not interference. And holding journalists accountable for the stories they cover is not law enforcement — it’s control.
If this moment doesn’t raise alarms, it’s only because too many have learned to ignore the warning signs.