Judge Rejects Justice Department Bid To Charge Journalist Don Lemon For Covering ICE Protest At Minnesota Church

Don Lemon

Judge Rejects Justice Department Bid To Charge Journalist Don Lemon For Covering ICE Protest At Minnesota Church

A federal magistrate judge in Minnesota has declined to approve the Justice Department’s bid to charge #DonLemon in connection with a protest that disrupted a church service in St. Paul.

The effort by the #DOJ to bring criminal charges against the independent journalist and former CNN host came after Lemon livestreamed an anti?ICE demonstration that entered Cities Church during Sunday’s (Jan. 11) service. The protest targeted a pastor who also serves as an ICE field official. During the protest, Lemon made it clear that he was at the church in a reporting role and not as a participant, telling viewers in a video, “I’m just here photographing, I’m not part of the group… I’m a journalist.” While Attorney General Pam Bondi reportedly expressed frustration at the judge’s decision, the rejection leaves the Justice Department’s next steps unclear, though it could pursue other avenues, such as seeking an indictment before a grand jury.