Justice Department arrests Don Lemon over Minnesota protest

by · UPI

Jan. 30 (UPI) -- Federal officers arrested former CNN anchor Don Lemon in Los Angeles over his attendance at a protest at a church in Minnesota earlier this month.

The charges against Lemon were not immediately made public. He is expected to appear in federal court in Los Angeles on Friday.

Lemon, an independent journalist, was on the scene reporting on a protest at a church in St. Paul, Minn., on Jan. 18, when anti-ICE protesters interrupted a church service. The Justice Department's civil rights department said it would pursue charges against Lemon and protesters following the event.

Lemon said in a video after the event that he was there to cover the protest and interview the people involved, including the church's pastor David Eastwood, who is an acting field office director for U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement.

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Authorities arrested Lemon while he was in Los Angeles to cover the Grammy Awards, his attorney said in a statement.

"The First Amendment exists to protect journalists whose role it is to shine light on the truth and hold those in power accountable," the statement said. "Instead of investigating the federal agents who killed two peaceful Minnesota protesters, the Trump Justice Department is devoting its time, attention and resources to this arrest and that is the real indictment of wrongdoing in this case."

Three protesters have also been arrested.

Lemon spent several days in the Minneapolis area covering protests earlier this month after ICE agent Jonathan Ross shot and killed 37-year-old Renee Good.

Last week a federal judge in Minnesota, U.S. District Judge Patrick Schiltz, rebuked calls from the Justice Department to assist in the arrest of Lemon.

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