Former CNN anchor Don Lemon was arrested Friday in Los Angeles in connection with a protest that interrupted a Sunday service at Cities Church in St. Paul, Minn., on Jan. 18, authorities and his attorney said. Agents with the FBI and Homeland Security Investigations carried out the arrest as part of a federal case tied to the disruption.
The arrest marks a high-profile turn in a case that has drawn national attention and fresh debate over the line between reporting on a demonstration and participating in one. Prosecutors have alleged civil rights violations connected to the church disruption and cited the federal law that protects access to houses of worship. Lemon’s lawyer says he was working as a journalist and contests any claim that he coordinated the protest. The case is moving quickly: several other individuals linked to the event were previously detained, and a federal magistrate last week rebuked an early attempt to secure charges before investigators returned with additional evidence and procedures.
Authorities say the protest unfolded the morning of Jan. 18 at Cities Church in St. Paul, where a group entered the sanctuary during worship and shouted about immigration enforcement. Demonstrators accused the church’s pastor of ties to immigration authorities, a claim that has not been substantiated in public records released so far. Video from that day showed a chaotic scene as congregants looked on and leaders tried to regain control of the service. Lemon, 59, filmed portions of the incident and later posted clips online. “This arrest is an unprecedented attack on the First Amendment,” said Abbe Lowell, Lemon’s attorney, who added that his client had traveled to Minnesota to document the demonstration and left when the service was halted.
Federal officials confirmed that Lemon faces allegations including a civil rights conspiracy count and a potential violation of the Freedom of Access to Clinic Entrances Act, a 1994 statute that also covers houses of worship. Investigators said they reviewed videos from inside the church and additional footage from outside before seeking warrants this week. The Justice Department previously took three people into custody in the days after the protest; on Friday, officials said more arrests could follow as evidence is presented to a grand jury. A detailed affidavit outlining Lemon’s specific conduct was not immediately unsealed. Authorities did not report any serious injuries from the Jan. 18 disruption, and they did not list a dollar value for property damage at the church.
The Jan. 18 protest came amid heightened tensions over immigration enforcement in the Twin Cities following claims by activists that a local faith leader cooperated with federal agents. Church administrators have said the congregation was targeted during worship and urged demonstrators to raise concerns outside a service. In recent years, Minnesota churches have periodically been flashpoints for immigration activism, and national groups have documented clashes around sanctuaries that offer support to families worried about deportation. Lemon’s presence drew extra attention. He left CNN in 2023 after on-air controversies and has since worked as an independent journalist and commentator while launching new media projects.
Legally, the case hinges on intent and interference. Prosecutors must show that defendants knowingly conspired to deprive people of their right to free exercise of religion, or that they obstructed access to worship under federal law. Defense attorneys for those already arrested argue the protest was speech in a public setting and say participants left when asked by church staff. A federal magistrate judge last week declined to approve initial charges against Lemon and a video producer, finding a lack of probable cause. In a later filing, Chief Judge Patrick Schiltz admonished prosecutors and said any further action should come through a grand jury. By Friday, agents executed new warrants and began processing the defendants; Lemon’s initial appearance is expected in federal court, with a bond decision to follow.
Outside the church this week, parishioners described a jarring interruption. “We were in the middle of a prayer when people started yelling about ICE,” said Matt Larson, a member who attended the Jan. 18 service. “It scared kids and confused a lot of us.” Immigration rights organizers defended the demonstration’s message but disagreed over the tactics. “Our focus is on policy, not disrupting worship,” said Sheila Nguyen, who said she was not part of the group that entered the sanctuary but supports immigration reforms. In Los Angeles, where Lemon was taken into custody while in town for awards coverage, a small group of supporters gathered outside a federal building and chanted for press freedoms.
As of Friday afternoon, officials said the investigation is continuing while prosecutors prepare materials for a grand jury review. The court docket did not yet list a date for Lemon’s first appearance, and the U.S. Attorney’s Office declined to elaborate on the sealed portions of the case. Church leaders said they planned a security briefing before Sunday services and would issue a statement once they had more information. Additional updates from federal authorities are expected once charging documents are filed and unsealed.
Author note: Last updated January 30, 2026.