Is Don Lemon a Threat to Religious Liberty?

"The arrest of former CNN anchor Don Lemon by federal authorities in Los Angeles today for his alleged participation in an anti-ICE protest in a St. Paul, Minnesota, church on January 18 is startling on multiple grounds. First of all, it's not like Lemon was a fugitive from justice. Two judges in Minnesota had earlier denied a requested indictment of Lemon, so he felt free to go to L.A. to cover the Grammy Awards."

"Second of all, Lemon was present at the protest in question as an independent journalist livestreaming the event, which was motivated by the allegation that one of the church's pastors is the acting director for ICE in St. Paul. While there are some limits to First Amendment free-press rights in connection with allegedly criminal conduct, they are few and far between, and for many years journalists have covered protests much like those in St. Paul without interference from law enforcement, much less criminal liability."

"Third of all, far from treating Lemon's presence at the protest as protected by the First Amendment, the Feds are accusing him of participating in a conspiracy to violate the First Amendment religious-liberty rights of worshipers at the church, along with violating a well-known statute (known as the FACE Act) that prohibits obstruction of entryways to churches as well as medical clinics (notably abortion clinics)."

Federal authorities arrested former CNN anchor Don Lemon in Los Angeles for alleged participation in an anti-ICE protest at a St. Paul church on January 18. Two Minnesota judges previously denied a requested indictment, and Lemon traveled to cover the Grammy Awards before the federal grand jury returned charges. Lemon livestreamed the protest as an independent journalist; protesters acted on an allegation that a church pastor served as acting ICE director in St. Paul. Prosecutors allege conspiracy to violate worshipers' religious-liberty rights and violations of the FACE Act prohibiting obstruction of church entryways. The arrest drew criticism as performative amid claims of de-escalation.

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