CNN chief media analyst Brian Stelter pointed out on Friday that former CNN host Don Lemon knew the protesters at the church in St. Paul, Minnesota, had something planned before they disrupted a religious service.
Federal agents arrested Lemon on Thursday night in Los Angeles, California, in connection with the disruption of Cities Church on Jan. 18, which had been organized by anti-Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) protesters to demonstrate against the pastor for being an ICE official. While Stelter defended Lemonās coverage of the incident, he stated that Lemon clearly knew that the protesters had planned to disrupt the service ahead of time.
āDon Lemon has said all along that he was there not as an activist but as a journalist,ā Stelter said. āInfact, he was saying those words and repeating that out loud when he wasinside the church. But he clearly knew something was taking place that daywith the protesters. He told his viewers on YouTube to stay tuned because there was something about to happen. He was careful not to have his camera crew walkinto the church until there was a disruption. And I would urge people to goonline, actually watch the YouTube videos, see how it all went down.ā
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Lemon has maintained that he committed an act of journalism by entering the church with the protesters. Assistant Attorney General for Civil Rights Harmeet DhillonĀ said on āThe Benny Johnson Showā on Jan. 19 that Lemonās prior knowledge of the protestersā plans could implicate him in criminal activity, particularly on civil rights violation charges.
Three other individuals āĀ Trahern Jeen Crews, Georgia Fort and Jamael Lydell Lundy ā in connection to the church disruption, Attorney General Pam Bondi announced on Friday. Federal agents also arrested Chauntyll Louisa Allen, Nekima Levy Armstrong and William Kelly on Jan. 22.
The DOJ has looked into whether the protesters violated the Freedom of Access to Clinic Entrances (FACE) Act and the Ku Klux Klan Act, whichĀ prohibitsĀ the obstruction of houses of worship and religious services andĀ criminalizesĀ conspiring against a personās civil rights.
A magistrate judge previously rejected the Department of Justiceās (DOJ) attempt to charge Lemon, though federal officials strived to find other ways to arrest Lemon. Lemon challenged the government to ākeep tryingā to get him behind bars in a video posted to X on Jan. 22.
āLook, I stand proud and I stand tall,ā Lemon said. āThis is not a victory lap for me because itās not over. Theyāre going to try again, and theyāre going to try again, and guess what? Here I am. Keep trying.ā
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