Don Lemon Released Without Bail Following Arrest Over Minnesota Church Protest
LOS ANGELES — January 30, 2026 — Independent journalist and former CNN anchor Don Lemon was released on a personal recognizance bond Friday afternoon following his arrest by federal agents. The arrest stems from his coverage of an anti-ICE demonstration at a St. Paul church earlier this month.
Court Appearance and Release Details
Lemon appeared before U.S. District Judge Patricia Donahue in a downtown Los Angeles federal court hours after being taken into custody.
Bond Status: The judge ordered Lemon’s release on a no-money personal recognizance bond.
Travel Permissions: While he is required to seek court approval for most international travel, the judge specifically granted him permission to attend a pre-planned trip to France in June 2026.
Release Conditions: Lemon is prohibited from contacting any witnesses, victims, or co-defendants unless their attorneys are present.
Future Dates: His next hearing is scheduled for February 9, 2026, in a Minnesota federal court.
The Charges and Allegations
The Department of Justice, led by Attorney General Pam Bondi, indicted Lemon on two federal counts related to a January 18 protest at Cities Church in St. Paul:
Conspiracy Against Right of Religious Freedom.
Violation of the FACE Act, specifically for allegedly intending to intimidate or interfere with the exercise of religious freedom.
Federal prosecutors allege that Lemon was part of a group that disrupted a worship service at the church, where a high-ranking Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) official serves as a pastor.
Defense and First Amendment Concerns
Lemon has vigorously denied the charges, maintaining that he was present strictly as an independent journalist for The Don Lemon Show.
Journalistic Defense: "I'm a journalist. I was there documenting what was happening," Lemon stated in a video shared prior to his arrest.
Legal Stance: His attorney, Abbe Lowell, described the prosecution as a "stunning and troubling effort to silence and punish a journalist for doing his job".
Media Support: Organizations such as the NAACP Legal Defense Fund and former colleagues at CNN have voiced concern, with CNN stating the arrest "raises profoundly concerning questions about press freedom".
Broader Context
The incident occurred amid Operation Metro Surge, a period of heightened federal immigration enforcement that has sparked widespread protests across Minnesota. Lemon, who has operated independently since his 2023 departure from CNN, has focused much of his recent YouTube content on investigating these enforcement actions.
Video courtesy channel 4