Don Lemon set to appear in federal court in Minnesota on charges stemming from church protest

[LetMyPeopleVote]

I really do not expect this case to make it to trial

Link to tweet

https://www.cnn.com/2026/02/13/media/don-lemon-arraignment-minnesota

Don Lemon will appear in a Minnesota courtroom Friday to be arraigned on federal charges following his arrest last month in connection with a protest at a church in St. Paul.

Federal prosecutors allege Lemon and another independent journalist, Georgia Fort, participated in a “takeover-style attack” of Cities Church and intimidated congregants, after the two livestreamed a group of anti-Immigration and Customs Enforcement protesters rushing into the church on January 18, interrupting the service.

Lemon is being charged with two federal crimes: conspiring to violate someone’s constitutional rights and violating the FACE Act, which prohibits the use of force or threats to intentionally interfere with someone expressing their First Amendment right to practice religion.

The journalist and former CNN anchor – who now hosts his show on YouTube – has vowed to fight the charges. He has hired Joseph H. Thompson, a former Minnesota federal prosecutor, to represent him, according to court records filed earlier this week.

[Ocelot II]

1. He hired Joseph Thompson to represent him! Yay!

Thompson wasn't just "a former Minnesota federal prosecutor," he had been the acting USA in the local office and was the head of the Fraud & Public Corruption section. He quit his job just a few weeks ago when the DoJ tried to make him investigate Renee Good's widow. He will be opposed in court by one of the few remaining AUSAs in that office, whose boss he once was. Excellent!

[LetMyPeopleVote]

2. Don Lemon pleads not guilty in First Amendment case in Minnesota

The former CNN anchor is facing federal civil rights charges related to his presence at a protest that disrupted a church service in St. Paul last month.

BREAKING: Don Lemon pleads not guilty in First Amendment case in Minnesota

READ MORE: www.ms.now/news/don-lem...

— MS NOW (@ms.now) 2026-02-13T19:20:02.649Z

https://www.ms.now/news/don-lemon-pleads-not-guilty-in-first-amendment-case-in-minnesota

Journalist Don Lemon pleaded not guilty Friday in federal court in Minnesota to charges stemming from his presence at a church protest against the Trump administration’s immigration crackdown.

Lemon was arrested in Los Angeles in January after a federal grand jury indicted the former CNN anchor and several others at the demonstration, which disrupted a service at Cities Church in St. Paul.

They face felony charges of conspiring to violate religious freedoms at a house of worship and injuring, intimidating and interfering with the exercise of religious freedoms at a place of worship.

Lemon and his legal team have maintained that he was at the event solely in his role as a journalist, livestreaming the protest and interviewing participants.

He appeared alongside four other defendants, including civil rights attorney Nekima Levy Armstrong, who were all indicted in connection with the incident. Prosecutors say the group’s actions interrupted a church service and intimidated congregants.

[LetMyPeopleVote]

3. Statement from Don Lemon