{"id":2558699,"date":"2026-01-30T17:27:01","date_gmt":"2026-01-30T22:27:01","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/democrats-demand-release-of-don-lemon-as-gop-celebrates-arrest\/"},"modified":"2026-01-30T17:27:50","modified_gmt":"2026-01-30T22:27:50","slug":"democrats-demand-release-of-don-lemon-as-gop-celebrates-arrest","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/democrats-demand-release-of-don-lemon-as-gop-celebrates-arrest\/","title":{"rendered":"Democrats demand release of Don Lemon as GOP celebrates arrest"},"content":{"rendered":"<aside class=\"mashsb-container mashsb-main mashsb-stretched\"><div class=\"mashsb-box\"><div class=\"mashsb-count mash-medium\" style=\"&quot;\"><div class=\"counts mashsbcount\">20<\/div><span class=\"mashsb-sharetext\">SHARES<\/span><\/div><div class=\"mashsb-buttons\"><a class=\"mashicon-facebook mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/sharer.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.conservativenewsdaily.net%2Fbreaking-news%2Fdemocrats-demand-release-of-don-lemon-as-gop-celebrates-arrest%2F\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Facebook<\/span><\/a><a class=\"mashicon-twitter mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/intent\/tweet?text=&amp;url=https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/?p=2558699&amp;via=ConservNewsDly\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Twitter<\/span><\/a><a class=\"mashicon-subscribe mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"#\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Subscribe<\/span><\/a><div class=\"onoffswitch2 mash-medium mashsb-noshadow\" style=\"display:none\"><\/div><\/div>\n            <\/div>\n                <div style=\"clear:both\"><\/div><\/aside>\n            <!-- Share buttons by mashshare.net - Version: 4.0.47--><p>former CNN anchor Don lemon was arrested by federal authorities over his alleged role in a Jan. 18 anti-ICE protest that disrupted a church service in St. Paul, Minnesota. The unsealed federal indictment charges him and others with conspiracy against the right of religious freedom and with injuring, intimidating, and interfering with the exercise of religious freedom under the Freedom of Access to Clinic Entrances Act. authorities say Lemon was briefed by protest organizers, livestreamed the event, confronted the pastor, and helped obstruct the church\u2019s exit; Lemon maintains he was reporting as an independent journalist and had no organizer ties. Democrats and CNN condemned the arrest as a threat to press freedom and the First Amendment, noting the DOJ previously twice failed to obtain an arrest warrant in the matter and that a judge found no evidence of criminal behavior in journalists\u2019 work. Republicans and some officials pointed to the grand jury indictment as justification, arguing that storming a place of worship is not protected speech. Lemon appeared in court in Los Angeles, and his attorney Abbe Lowell pledged to contest the charges vigorously.  <\/p>\n<p class=\"readmore\">\n    <button onclick=\"showReadMore()\" id=\"readmorebtn\">Read more&#8230;<\/button>\n<\/p>\n<hr id=\"line\">\n<span id=\"more\"><\/p>\n<p><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><\/p>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><span class=\"tdb-mobile-menu-button\"><i class=\"tdb-mobile-menu-icon td-icon-mobile\"><\/i><\/span><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><span class=\"tdb-header-search-button-mob dropdown-toggle\" data-toggle=\"dropdown\"><i class=\"tdb-mobile-search-icon td-icon-search\"><\/i><\/span><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><span class=\"tdb-mobile-menu-button\"><i class=\"tdb-mobile-menu-icon td-icon-mobile\"><\/i><\/span><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\">\n<div class=\"tdb-drop-down-search\" aria-labelledby=\"td-header-search-button\">\n<div class=\"tdb-drop-down-search-inner\">\n<form method=\"get\" class=\"tdb-search-form\" action=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/\"><\/form>\n<div class=\"tdb-aj-search\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p><a href=\"http:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/#\" role=\"button\" aria-label=\"Search\" class=\"tdb-head-search-btn dropdown-toggle\" data-toggle=\"dropdown\"><i class=\"tdb-search-icon td-icon-search\"><\/i><\/a><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\">\n<h1 class=\"tdb-title-text\">Democrats demand feds &lsquo;FREE DON LEMON&rsquo; as GOP celebrates arrest over church storming<\/h1>\n<div><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-title-line\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\">\n<div id=\"Brid_2489448\" class=\"tpd-featured-video bridtv\"><\/div>\n<p><a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/news\/crime\/4440696\/don-lemon-arrested-democrats-react\/\">Democrats are up in arms<\/a> demanding the release of former CNN anchor <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/tag\/don-lemon\/\">Don Lemon<\/a> after his arrest Thursday night, but <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/tag\/republicans\/\">Republicans<\/a> are having the polar opposite reaction to the news.<\/p>\n<p>Lemon was <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/news\/justice\/4440345\/don-lemon-arrested-by-federal-officials-over-minnesota-church-ice-out-protest\/\">arrested<\/a> by the federal government for his involvement in a Jan. 18 protest against Immigration and Customs Enforcement that disrupted a church service in St. Paul, <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/tag\/minnesota\/\">Minnesota<\/a>. Lemon argues he was reporting on the event as an independent journalist and maintains he had no connection with the protest organizers.<\/p>\n<div class=\"recommended-stories\">\n<h2>Recommended Stories<\/h2>\n<ul>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/news\/justice\/4440661\/doj-says-opened-civil-rights-investigation-alex-pretti-death\/\">DOJ says it <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/biden-administration-opens-civil-rights-investigations-into-states-banning-school-mask-mandates\/\" title=\"Biden Administration Opens Civil ... Investigations Into States Banning School Mask Mandates\">opened civil rights investigation<\/a> into Alex Pretti&rsquo;s death<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/news\/justice\/4440797\/doj-says-no-epstein-files-redacted-national-security-reasons\/\">DOJ says no Epstein files were redacted for national security reasons<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/news\/justice\/4440630\/doj-release-millions-new-jeffrey-epstein-documents-2000-videos\/\">DOJ to release 3.5 million new Epstein documents and 2,000 videos<\/a><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"article-paywall\">\n<p>The <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/tag\/department-of-justice\/\">Justice Department<\/a> felt otherwise, accusing him of federal civil rights crimes for obstructing access to a house of worship. Lemon was one of four people arrested in connection with the protest.<\/p>\n<p>The <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/tag\/democratic-party\/\">Democratic Party<\/a> cast the situation as an attack on the First Amendment with a <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/x.com\/TheDemocrats\/status\/2017268331707855281\">simple message<\/a>: &ldquo;FREE DON LEMON. PROTECT FREE SPEECH.&rdquo;<\/p>\n<p>The <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/tag\/republican-party\/\">Republican Party<\/a> mocked the statement by resharing one of the opposing party&rsquo;s <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/x.com\/GOP\/status\/2017314917750055173\">2019 posts<\/a>: &ldquo;No one is above the law.&rdquo;<\/p>\n<p>Some Republicans were pleased with his arrest and challenged the talking points made by Democrats.<\/p>\n<p>In response to Rep. <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/tag\/jasmine-crockett\/\">Jasmine Crockett&rsquo;s<\/a> (D-TX) critical comments, Sen. <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/tag\/john-cornyn\/\">John Cornyn<\/a> (R-TX) pointed out the fact that Lemon was indicted by a grand jury on Thursday and was not randomly arrested.<\/p>\n<p>&ldquo;Hey Jasmine: 1) A <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/nursing-director-may-face-prison-for-allegedly-making-fake-coronavirus-vaccine-cards\/\" title=\"Nursing Director May Face Prison for Allegedly Making Fake Coronavirus Vaccine Cards\">federal grand jury returned<\/a> an indictment. 2) Storming a church where people are peacefully worshipping is not protected speech,&rdquo; Cornyn <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/x.com\/JohnCornyn\/status\/2017248221488357777\">wrote on X<\/a>. &ldquo;Don Lemon found out.&rdquo;<\/p>\n<p>White House deputy chief of staff James Blair made a similar statement as the Texas Republican.<\/p>\n<p>&ldquo;A federal grand jury indicted Don Lemon. He was not just magically arrested,&rdquo; Blair <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/x.com\/JamesBlairUSA\/status\/2017238363388940688\">said<\/a>, repeating the message two more times. &ldquo;Pass it on.&rdquo;<\/p>\n<p>When asked if he had a reaction to the news of Lemon&rsquo;s arrest overnight, Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche gave a rather neutral response.<\/p>\n<p>&ldquo;Do I have a reaction to it? I don&rsquo;t know what that means. What are you looking for me to do, jump up and down? No, I don&rsquo;t have a reaction to it,&rdquo; he <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/x.com\/cspan\/status\/2017292317955182880\">told reporters<\/a> during a Friday press conference about the latest release of the Epstein files. &ldquo;I don&rsquo;t know that the charges are unsealed yet. So no, I&rsquo;m not going to comment on that.&rdquo;<\/p>\n<p>The <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/x.com\/jaketapper\/status\/2017325705499988217\">federal indictment<\/a> was unsealed later Friday, revealing the two charges against Lemon and several other defendants. The first count concerns conspiracy against the right of religious freedom at a place of worship, and the second count pertains to injuring, intimidating, and interfering with the exercise of the right of religious freedom at a place of worship protected under the <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/news\/justice\/4427495\/what-is-face-act-federal-charges-minnesota-church-protest\/\">Freedom of Access to Clinic Entrances Act<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p>Detailing Lemon&rsquo;s participation in the demonstration, the indictment says the journalist was briefed on the protest by its organizers before it happened and started livestreaming the event on social media. While speaking to his audience, he didn&rsquo;t disclose where they were going so as not to spoil the protest.<\/p>\n<p>The group interrupted the church service while Lemon commentated as the anti-ICE protest unfolded.<\/p>\n<p>At one point, he confronted the church&rsquo;s pastor to ask him questions in support of the protest&rsquo;s message. The pastor&rsquo;s hand then grazed Lemon, who told the pastor to stop pushing him. <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/x.com\/CollinRugg\/status\/2013025026623316168\">Video footage<\/a> of the conversation shows Lemon&rsquo;s overreaction to the light touch.<\/p>\n<p>Lemon and the other defendants ignored the pastor&rsquo;s plea to immediately leave his church. The liberal reporter later obstructed the main door as congregants tried to leave, offering unsolicited &ldquo;facts&rdquo; about U.S. immigration policy.<\/p>\n<p>Lemon has been unable to comment on his own arrest, but his former employer spoke up for him.<\/p>\n<p>&ldquo;The FBI&rsquo;s arrest of our former CNN colleague Don Lemon raises profoundly concerning questions about press freedom and the First Amendment,&rdquo; CNN <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/x.com\/brianstelter\/status\/2017257828289802650\">said in a statement<\/a> Friday morning. &ldquo;The Department of Justice already failed twice to get an arrest warrant for Don and several other journalists in Minnesota, where a chief judge of the Minnesota Federal District Court found there was &lsquo;no evidence&rsquo; that there was any criminal behavior involved in their work.<\/p>\n<p>&ldquo;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&rsquo;s attempts to violate those rights is unacceptable,&rdquo; the news outlet added. &ldquo;We will be following this case closely.&rdquo;<\/p>\n<p>Meanwhile, right-wing journalist Nick Sortor did not feel sorry for Lemon after he was <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/news\/crime\/3839322\/nick-sortor-misdemeanor-charge-dropped-portland-arrest\/\">arrested in Portland<\/a> last fall for documenting violent anti-ICE protesters.<\/p>\n<p>&ldquo;Democrats are OUTRAGED over Don Lemon being arrested for being a co-conspirator in an attack on a Church,&rdquo; he <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/x.com\/nicksortor\/status\/2017343149375434887\">posted on X<\/a>, &ldquo;but CHEERED when I was arrested by [Portland Police] simply for documenting the ongoing riots outside ICE Portland just a few months ago. These people are FRAUDS. My charge was so bogus that even the <a href=\"https:\/\/amzn.to\/3YuVZYV\" >liberal district attorney threw<\/a> it out. Says a lot!&rdquo;<\/p>\n<p><strong><a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/news\/crime\/4440696\/don-lemon-arrested-democrats-react\/\">DEMOCRATS CONDEMN DON LEMON&rsquo;S ARREST AS &lsquo;ILLEGITIMATE&rsquo; AND &lsquo;ASSAULT&rsquo; ON FIRST AMENDMENT<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n<p>Lemon made his first court appearance in Los Angeles on Friday.<\/p>\n<p>Defense lawyer Abbe Lowell vowed his client would fight the federal charges &ldquo;vigorously and thoroughly in court.&rdquo;<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><\/div>\n<p><\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Dems demand &#8216;Free Don Lemon&#8217; as GOP celebrates<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2159,"featured_media":2558700,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_mo_disable_npp":"","fifu_image_url":"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/AP26030479124109.jpg?w=696","fifu_image_alt":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[33651,538],"tags":[5175,3685,36966,6203,44205],"class_list":["post-2558699","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-the-western-journal","category-washington-examiner","tag-arrest","tag-democrats","tag-don-lemon","tag-gop","tag-press-freedom"],"fifu_image_url":"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/AP26030479124109.jpg?w=696","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2558699","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2159"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=2558699"}],"version-history":[{"count":3,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2558699\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":2558703,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2558699\/revisions\/2558703"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/2558700"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=2558699"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=2558699"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=2558699"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}