Journalist Don Lemon is arrested after a protest disrupted a Minnesota church service

Lemon, who was fired from CNN in 2023, said he had no affiliation with the organization that entered the church, and that he was there as a journalist chronicling the protesters.

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“Don has been a journalist for 30 years, and his constitutionally protected work in Minneapolis is no different than what he has always done,” Lowell said in a statement. “The First Amendment exists to protect journalists whose role is to highlight the truth and hold those in power accountable.”

Lowell added, “Don will fight these charges vigorously and vigorously in court.”

Since leaving CNN, Lemon has joined a group of journalists who have turned to freelance work, posting regularly on YouTube. He made no secret of his disdain for Trump. However, during his online program from the church, he repeatedly said: “I’m not here as an activist. I’m here as a journalist.” He described the scene in front of him and interviewed churchgoers and demonstrators.

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Shortly after the first attempt to impeach him failed, he predicted on his show that the administration would try again.

“Guess what,” he said, “here I am. Keep trying. It’s not going to stop me from being a journalist. It’s not going to make me any less of a voice. Go ahead, make me the new Jimmy Kimmel, if you want. Just do it. Because I’m not going anywhere.”

A prominent civil rights lawyer and two other people who participated in the protest were arrested last week. Prosecutors charged them with civil rights violations for disrupting a service at Cities Church in St. Paul, where a local U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement official serves as chaplain.

The Department of Justice launched a civil rights investigation after the group boycotted services by chanting “ICE out” and “Justice for Renee Good,” in reference to the 37-year-old mother of three who was fatally shot by an ICE officer in Minneapolis.

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“Listen loud and clear: We do not tolerate attacks on places of worship,” Attorney General Pam Bondi wrote in a social media post last week.

Cities Church is affiliated with the Southern Baptist Convention and lists one of its pastors as David Easterwood, who leads an ICE field office.

Many Baptist churches have pastors who also work in other capacities.

The Justice Department’s swift investigation into the church disruption contradicts its decision not to open a civil rights investigation into Judd’s killing at the hands of an ICE officer. The department has not said whether it will open a civil rights investigation into the killing of 37-year-old Alex Peretti at the hands of federal officers.

“Instead of investigating the federal agents who killed two peaceful protesters in Minnesota, the Trump Department of Justice is devoting its time, attention and resources to this arrest, and this is the true indictment of wrongdoing in this case,” Lowell said.

Associated Press reporter Dave Bauder in New York City contributed.