In brief
Don Lemon, an independent journalist, along with civil rights attorney Nekima Levy Armstrong and others, faces arraignment in a federal court after allegedly disrupting a church service where an ICE official was present. Lemon has stated plans to plead not guilty to the charges related to interference with the First Amendment right to religious freedom during the protest. The event was marked by chants demanding justice for victims of the ICE shootings.
ST. PAUL, Minn. (AP) — Don Lemon, the former CNN host now working as an independent journalist, is set to be arraigned in federal court this Friday, along with four other defendants. They are charged with disrupting a church service where an Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) official served as pastor.
Also scheduled to appear in the courtroom is civil rights attorney Nekima Levy Armstrong, who has gained attention due to a photo circulating on social media that was digitally altered to depict her crying during her arrest. This alteration is part of a broader issue involving AI-manipulated images following the fatal shootings of individuals by federal officers amid heightened immigration enforcement activities in the city.
Typical arraignments involve defendants entering pleas and scheduling further proceedings. It's uncertain if Lemon will appear personally or allow his legal team to represent him at the hearing, as his legal counsel did not respond to inquiries regarding their plans.
This case involves a total of nine defendants, with two, including another independent journalist Georgia Fort, expected to be arraigned next week.
Lemon has previously indicated he intends to plead not guilty regarding federal civil rights charges stemming from his coverage of the protest at a Southern Baptist church in St. Paul, where he was present to document the event. He reiterated his commitment to independent journalism, stating, I have spent my entire career covering the news. I will not stop now... it is vital for a free media to illuminate the truth and hold those in power accountable.
The protest at Cities Church disrupted the service on January 18, where demonstrators chanted demands for the removal of ICE from the community while calling for justice for Renee Good, who had been fatally shot by an ICE officer. Lemon has consistently stated his non-alignment with the protestors, emphasizing his role as a journalist documenting the situation.
The disruption sparked reactions from various leaders, including sharp criticism from conservative factions, while others expressed concern regarding the appropriateness of protests in sacred spaces. The 1994 Freedom of Access to Clinic Entrances Act prohibits obstructing individuals exercising their religious rights, with penalties that include potential prison time and fines.
Lemon's attorney, Joe Thompson, recently resigned from a high-profile investigation into public fraud cases, amid frustrations with the current immigration policies and their application. As the administration intensifies its crackdown, questions about its implications for civil liberties, especially within immigrant communities, remain paramount.
