Journalist Don Lemon arrested by federal agents after his coverage of Minneapolis protests

Update: White House celebrates Don Lemon’s arrest with meme, as press freedom groups and Dems outraged

Federal agents arrested journalist Don Lemon on Thursday evening in Los Angeles, according to his attorney, as well as Minnesota journalist Georgia Fort, escalating a growing confrontation between the Trump administration and press freedom advocates over journalists' reporting on federal law enforcement actions in Minnesota.

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Lemon, a veteran journalist with 30 years of experience, was in Los Angeles covering the Grammy Awards when he was taken into custody, Abbe Lowell, his attorney, told The Advocate in a statement. The arrest follows weeks of public threats by senior Justice Department officials tied to Lemon’s coverage of protests in Minneapolis and St. Paul after federal agents killed two peaceful protesters earlier this month.

Related: DOJ threats against Don Lemon worry press freedom groups

Related: Pam Bondi's mad after judge rejects charging Don Lemon over his Minnesota church reporting

“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.”

The Advocate has contacted the DOJ for comment.

After news of the arrest spread, Attorney General Pam Bondi posted on X, confirming the arrest occurred "at my direction." She claimed the charges were "in connection with the coordinated attack on Cities Church in St. Paul, Minnesota."

Bondi promised “more details soon."

An indictment unsealed Friday afternoon focuses on Lemon’s alleged conduct before and during the January 18 protest. Federal prosecutors allege that Lemon was not merely documenting events but was aware in advance of a planned operation to disrupt the worship service and took steps to avoid disclosing its target publicly. According to the indictment, Lemon is accused of discussing maintaining “operational secrecy” while livestreaming his show before traveling to the church, and acknowledged that he could not reveal details about where the group was headed.

Prosecutors further allege that once inside Cities Church, Lemon acknowledged the disruptive nature of the action, stating during his livestream that “the whole point” was to disrupt the service. The indictment claims Lemon commented on congregants fleeing the sanctuary, including describing a young man who appeared frightened and crying, and characterized the experience as “traumatic and uncomfortable,” which prosecutors say he described as the intended effect. Videos that Lemon posted online shows that he was reporting on the reactions of congregants.

The charging document also alleges Lemon physically positioned himself inside the church in ways that obstructed congregants, including standing near exits and confronting worshippers attempting to leave while challenging them with what prosecutors describe as “facts” about immigration policy. However, in some of the videos from that day, Lemon can be heard telling viewers that he was trying to stay out of the way so as not to add to anyone's distress. Prosecutors further allege that Lemon later approached the pastor, stood in close proximity alongside others, and contributed to intimidating and restricting the pastor’s movement. Lemon’s footage includes him asking a pastor questions, which the pastor answered.

According to the indictment, Lemon remained inside the church after being told to leave and later expressed surprise on his livestream that police had not yet arrived, which prosecutors cite as evidence that he understood the action to be unlawful. The indictment alleges Lemon’s conduct went beyond observation and crossed into active participation in interfering with a religious service, a claim his attorneys strongly dispute.

Lemon is charged with conspiracy against rights and interference with the free exercise of religion at a place of worship, felony offenses under federal civil-rights law.

Lemon’s arrest comes after federal prosecutors failed to bring charges against him in Minnesota for his coverage of the protest at Cities Church. Lemon livestreamed from inside the church as demonstrators protested immigration enforcement and the killing of Renee Nicole Good. Days later, Alex Pretti was also killed. Both were shot by federal agents during separate encounters in Minneapolis.

Prosecutors argued that Lemon’s presence could constitute interference with religious worship, a legal theory widely criticized as incompatible with First Amendment protections for journalists. A federal magistrate judge rejected that argument, refusing to sign arrest warrants and finding prosecutors had not established probable cause. A federal appeals court later declined the Trump administration’s emergency effort to override the ruling.

Despite those setbacks, senior Justice Department officials continued to publicly single out Lemon. Assistant Attorney General Harmeet Dhillon warned that Lemon was “on notice,” comments that drew condemnation from press freedom groups and raised concerns that the government was reframing journalism as criminal conduct.

Agents also arrested local journalist Georgia Fort in connection with covering the same church protest. In a Facebook Live video she recorded, she told viewers that agents were outside her door and had an arrest warrant.

"As a member of the press, I filmed the church protest a few weeks ago, and now I'm being arrested for that," Fort said in the video. "It's hard to understand how we have a Constitution, Constitutional rights, when we can just be arrested for being a member of the press."

She said her children were with her and were affected by her arrest. While recording the video, she said a relative was outside speaking with authorities and that her lawyer had also spoken to them.

Editor's note: This story has been updated with details from the federal indictment against Don Lemon.