A federal judge has declined to approve criminal charges against Don Lemon following an anti-ICE protest at a Minnesota church, according to Politico.
Federal prosecutors had sought to charge the former CNN anchor in connection with the protest, which unfolded during a service on Sunday (January 18) at Cities Church, a Southern Baptist congregation in St. Paul. Lemon’s name briefly appeared among eight defendants listed on a federal court docket reviewed Thursday (January 22), but the case later disappeared from the public record.
Conservatives had called for criminal charges against activists who entered the church during Sunday’s service. Videos posted online by Lemon, who was reporting on the protest, and others show confusion and disruption inside the sanctuary. Protest organizers said the demonstration targeted ICE field director David Easterwood, who they say is one of the church’s pastors.
Attorney General Pam Bondi described Sunday's protest as an “attack," while Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem said Tuesday (January 20) that arrests related to the disruption were imminent.
On Thursday, Bondi didn't mention Lemon in social media posts announcing arrests tied to the protest, but she identified three others taken into custody, which included civil rights attorney Nekima Levy Armstrong, William Kelly, and Chauntyll Allen, a member of the St. Paul School Board.
“Our nation was settled and founded by people fleeing religious persecution,” Bondi wrote in a post on X. “Religious freedom is the bedrock of this country. We will protect our pastors. We will protect our churches. We will protect Americans of faith.”
According to sources, Bondi was “enraged at the magistrate judge’s decision" not to pursue charges against Lemon.
In a video he posted from the scene of the protest, Lemon said he was present in a journalistic capacity.
“We’re not part of the activists, but we’re here just reporting on them,” he said.
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