Former CNN anchor Don Lemon, now an independent journalist, has pleaded not guilty to federal charges in connection to his coverage of an anti-ICE protest that saw demonstrators storm a church in Minnesota last month.
On Friday, Lemon appeared in a St. Paul courtroom for his arraignment to enter his plea.
The charges include one count of conspiracy against the right of religious freedom at a place of worship and one count of injuring, intimidating and interfering with the exercise of the right of religious freedom at a place of worship.
At the brief hearing, Magistrate Judge Douglas L. Micko went over Lemon’s constitutional rights and asked if he understood the charges, to which Lemon said he did.
After leaving the courtroom, Lemon spoke to reporters, saying he wanted to make it clear that this isn’t just about him — it’s about all journalists, especially in the Unites States.
“For more than 30 years, I’ve been a journalist, and the power and protection of the First Amendment has been the underpinning of my work,” he said. “The First Amendment, freedom of the press, is the bedrock of our democracy.”
Lemon is facing charges over his coverage of a protest on Jan. 18 at a St. Paul church affiliated with the Southern Baptist Convention. He was there when demonstrators disrupted services in protest of David Easterwood, a pastor who had reportedly been leading the local Immigration and Customs Enforcement field office, overseeing operations that have involved violent tactics and illegal arrests.
Several protesters stormed into the church, chanting “ICE out” and “Justice for Renee Good,” referring to the 37-year-old mother of three who was fatally shot by an ICE agent in Minneapolis earlier that month.
Lemon, who currently hosts his own YouTube show, livestreamed the event over the course of several hours, during which he spoke with a range of people, among them protesters, congregation members and even another pastor.
Lemon has said he was just there doing his job, but Attorney General Pam Bondi accused him of being a part of the “coordinated attack” on the church. Federal authorities claim he crossed the line, saying his actions interfered with others’ constitutional rights.
The freelance journalist was dramatically arrested on Jan. 30 in Los Angeles, where he’d been covering the Grammy Awards, even though he had said he offered to turn himself in.
Lemon’s lawyer, Abbe Lowell, argued on Friday that prosecutors took an “unusual” path secure charges against his client. Prior to a grand jury returning an indictment, a judge had declined to sign an arrest warrant against Lemon.
He was released pending his trial, with the judge saying he’s free to travel so long as he doesn’t violate any state or federal laws.
