Former CNN anchor Don Lemon was taken into federal custody in Los Angeles on January 30, 2026, according to statements from his attorney and U.S. officials. The arrest relates to an anti-ICE protest that disrupted a church service in St. Paul, Minnesota, earlier this month.
Authorities detained Lemon while he was in Los Angeles to cover the Grammy Awards, his legal team said. Federal officials confirmed the arrest but have not publicly detailed the charges.
Lemon’s attorney, Abbe Lowell, said federal agents arrested his client late Thursday night. Lowell described the action as an attack on press freedom and said Lemon attended the January 18 protest in a journalistic capacity.
“Don has worked as a journalist for three decades,” Lowell said. “He was documenting events, which falls squarely within First Amendment protections.”
Don Lemon vowed “I will not be silenced” after his overnight federal arrest in Los Angeles tied to a Minnesota church protest case.
Full story from @MicheleMcPhee 👇https://t.co/CBWspdo7vp pic.twitter.com/kOkEZApgCW
— Los Angeles Magazine (@LAmag) January 31, 2026Federal Officials Confirm Arrests
U.S. Attorney General Pamela Bondi said authorities arrested four individuals in connection with what she described as a coordinated disruption at Cities Church in St. Paul. The other detainees include independent journalist Georgia Fort and two additional people.
Officials have not released the specific charges against Lemon. Federal sources have indicated potential violations of laws that protect religious worship and civil rights.
The incident occurred during a Sunday service at Cities Church. Protesters entered the sanctuary and interrupted worship while opposing a pastor with alleged ties to U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE).
Don Lemon was arrested overnight in Los Angeles by Federal Bureau of Investigation and Homeland Security Investigations, multiple sources tell CBS News.pic.twitter.com/xVUfPXixip
— Brandon Straka #WalkAway (@BrandonStraka) January 30, 2026Church leaders and congregants criticised the disruption. Prosecutors have suggested possible charges under the Enforcement Act of 1871, also known as the Ku Klux Klan Act, which bars interference with civil rights, including the right to worship.
Authorities have also discussed the Freedom of Access to Clinic Entrances Act and federal conspiracy statutes as possible legal avenues.
The case has sparked debate over the boundary between journalistic activity and unlawful protest. Lemon’s legal team has pledged to challenge the arrest and any charges that follow.
Civil liberties groups and media advocates are monitoring the case closely. Legal experts say the outcome could shape future interpretations of press protections when journalists report on protests involving religious or civil rights issues.
