Former CNN anchor Don Lemon was taken into federal custody late Thursday in Los Angeles in connection with an anti-ICE protest that disrupted a church service in St. Paul, Minnesota, according to his attorney.
“Don Lemon was taken into custody by federal agents last night in Los Angeles, where he was covering the Grammy awards,” Lemon’s attorney Abbe Lowell said in a statement shared with multiple reporters.
Lemon spent the night in jail and is expected to make a first appearance in court sometime Friday, according to Brian Stelter, the chief media analyst for Lemon’s former network.
His attorney maintained that the frequently fired correspondent was part of the pack that stormed the St. Paul church merely while working as a journalist, making it “constitutionally protected work.”
“The First Amendment exists to protect journalists whose role it is to shine light on the truth and hold those in power accountable,” said Lowell, who also represented disgraced former first son Hunter Biden.
“Don will fight these charges vigorously and thoroughly in court.”
Lemon, 59, was part of a group of dozens of protesters who disrupted Sunday worship at Cities Church.
Authorities have not uniformly detailed the charges in early reporting, though Reuters reported Lemon is facing federal allegations including conspiracy to deprive others of civil rights and a FACE Act violation tied to the church incident.
The arrest comes after a magistrate judge previously rejected prosecutors’ initial bid to charge Lemon in the case, according to multiple reports.
