Fresh out of federal custody, former CNN anchor Don Lemon vowed Friday to not again off his work as a journalist regardless of an indictment in opposition to him and others over an anti-ICE protest he lined this month at a Minnesota church.
Lemon cited his occupation’s protections underneath the First Amendment — the identical one federal prosecutors contend he and his co-defendants violated by infringing on the churchgoers’ freedom of faith.
“There is no more important time than right now, this very moment, for a free and independent media that shines a light on the truth and holds those in power accountable,” Lemon stated in his first public remarks since his arrest late Thursday.
“The First Amendment of the Constitution protects that work for me and for countless of other journalists who do what I do. I stand with all of them, and I will not be silenced,” he added, talking exterior a federal courthouse in Los Angeles, the place he had simply been ordered launched pending trial.
Lemon, fellow impartial journalist Georgia Fort and two folks energetic in Democratic circles in Minnesota have been arrested as a part of a broader indictment over the Jan. 18 demonstration in opposition to U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, which Lemon livestreamed whereas reporting on the occasion at Cities Church in St. Paul.
Demonstrators say they have been there to protest ICE techniques and a pastor of the church, David Easterwood, who additionally leads the native discipline workplace for ICE. Easterwood was not too long ago listed as a defendant in a case introduced by protesters who alleged immigration brokers had violated their First and Fourth Amendment rights.
“I’m just here photographing, I’m not part of the group. … I’m a journalist,” Lemon is heard saying in his video.
The indictment names 9 defendants. The prosecution alleges in it {that a} group of “agitators” gathered to debate their plans previous to touring to Cities Church to interact in a “planned takeover-style operation.”
Demonstrators joined in on numerous chants contained in the church together with “ICE Out!” and “Stand Up, Fight Back,” in keeping with the indictment, which was signed by Attorney General Pam Bondi, amongst others.
Prosecutors additionally allege that one defendant known as some congregants “Nazi,” and requested some youngsters, “Do you know your parents are Nazis? They’re going to burn in hell.”
The parts of the indictment involving Lemon largely grasp on particulars from his livestream, notably that he made some extent of telling viewers he wouldn’t say the place the protest was going to happen.
Lemon and Fort — in one of many few mentions of her within the indictment — are additionally accused of obstructing the pastor’s actions once they approached to query him; the doc doesn’t specify if this was Easterwood. Prosecutors contend Lemon “stood so close to the pastor that Lemon caused the pastor’s right hand to graze Lemon, who then admonished the pastor, ‘Please don’t push me.’”
Until now, efforts to safe expenses in opposition to Lemon had stalled in courtroom. A federal Justice of the Peace choose beforehand refused to approve a legal grievance in opposition to him, saying prosecutors hadn’t proven possible trigger — a call upheld by an appeals panel final week.
Earlier within the week, the Department of Justice had reportedly withdrawn its bid for an arrest warrant, although officers indicated they may pursue expenses by way of different procedures.
Bondi confirmed the arrests in a social media put up Friday.
“Early this morning federal agents arrested Don Lemon, Trahern Jeen Crews, Georgia Fort, and Jamael Lydell Lundy, in connection with the coordinated attack on Cities Church in St. Paul, Minnesota,” Bondi stated on X. Fort, Crews and Lundy pleaded not responsible at a listening to Friday in Minnesota and have been launched.
Fort is vice chairman of the Minneapolis chapter of the National Association of Black Journalists. She posted a video on Facebook early Friday asserting “agents are at my door,” and stated her legal professional suggested her to go together with them.
Crews is the co-founder of Black Lives Matter Minnesota and a former Democratic candidate for the Minnesota House. Lundy is a small-business proprietor and a present Democratic candidate for the Minnesota Senate.
Lemon is charged with conspiracy to deprive rights and interfering by drive with somebody’s First Amendment rights. The most critical cost carries a penalty of as much as 10 years in jail.
Prosecutors argued Friday that Lemon poses a “danger to the community” and requested the choose to limit his journey, a request the choose principally rejected.
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Lemon, carrying a tan go well with and showing visibly displeased in the course of the listening to, didn’t enter a plea, however his attorneys say he’ll plead not responsible to all expenses. His subsequent listening to is scheduled for Feb. 9 in Minnesota.
“I look forward to my day in court,” Lemon advised reporters.
Lemon was in Los Angeles to cowl the Grammy Awards when he was taken into custody late Thursday.
His lawyer, Abbe Lowell, known as Lemon’s arrest an “unprecedented attack” and accused the DOJ of utilizing it as a distraction from the backlash the Trump administration is dealing with after the deadly shootings of Renee Good and Alex Pretti.
Lemon’s arrest marks a significant improvement in a case that has stirred nationwide debate over press freedom and federal energy. The case has drawn sharp criticism from advocates and supporters of Lemon.
“Don Lemon has been a journalist for 30 years, and his constitutionally protected work in Minneapolis was no different than what he has always done,” Lowell stated in a press release. “The First Amendment exists to protect journalists whose role it is to shine light on the truth and hold those in power accountable.”
Lemon remains to be strongly related together with his long-running present at CNN, though he left the community practically three years in the past. The community stated in a press release that his arrest raises considerations concerning the freedom of press.
“The First Amendment in the United States protects journalists who bear witness to news and events as they unfold, ensuring they can report freely in the public interest, and the DOJ’s attempts to violate those rights is unacceptable,” CNN stated.
Several press freedom and advocacy teams condemned the arrests on Friday. The Committee to Protect Journalists stated Lemon’s arrest “should alarm all Americans.”
“Instead of prioritizing accountability in the killings of two American citizens, the @realDonaldTrump administration is devoting its resources to arresting journalists,” stated Katherine Jacobsen, a spokesperson for the group.
The National Action Network criticized the Trump administration for violating Lemon’s rights underneath the First Amendment.
“Don has spent the last decade calling out the lies or the destructive policies of President Trump, who no doubt was waiting for the right moment to use his weaponized Justice Department against him,” stated Rev. Al Sharpton, the group’s founder.
Jack Pedigo and David Noriega contributed to this report.
Ebony Davis
Ebony Davis is a breaking information reporter for MS NOW.
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