Former CNN journalist Don Lemon has been arrested in connection to his presence at a Minnesota church protest, ABC News reported.
Lemon was covering the incident in question which happened on Jan. 18, as protesters entered Cities Church in St. Paul.
Lemon has insisted he was not a participant in the protest, but was covering it as a journalist, per Mediaite.
The protesters alleged one of the pastors is the acting field director of the St. Paul ICE field office.
According to Lemon’s attorney, Abbe Lowell, the journalist was taken into custody Thursday night in Los Angeles as he was covering the Grammy Awards.
“Don has been a journalist for 30 years, and his constitutionally protected work in Minneapolis was no different than what he has always done,” Lowell said. “The First Amendment exists to protect journalists whose role it is to shine light on the truth and hold those in power accountable.”
“Instead of investigating the federal agents who killed two peaceful Minnesota protesters, the Trump Justice Department is devoting its time, attention and resources to this case,” Lowell said. He called Lemon’s arrest an “attempt to distract attention from the many crises facing this administration.”
Lowell added the arrest was an “unprecedented attack on the First Amendment” and said the journalist “will fight these charges vigorously and thoroughly in court.”
