Former CNN Journalist Don Lemon Released from Jail on Personal Recognizance After Federal Agents Arrest Him at Grammy Awards Coverage
In a stunning move, US Attorney General Pam Bondi announced Friday that former CNN journalist Don Lemon has been released from jail on personal recognizance following his arrest by federal agents in Los Angeles. The arrest came amidst an indictment of Lemon and three others for civil rights crimes related to an anti-ICE protest at a Minnesota church.
According to officials, the incident took place on January 18th, where protesters disrupted a service at the Cities Church in St. Paul, where a US Immigration and Customs Enforcement official is a pastor. The protests were reportedly chanting "Justice for Renee Good," a phrase that has sparked controversy in the past.
Attorney General Pam Bondi had previously claimed responsibility for the arrests on social media, stating that the government would not tolerate attacks on places of worship. Lemon's attorney, Abbe Lowell, disputed this claim, arguing that his client was simply doing his job as an independent journalist and that the arrest is an "unprecedented attack on the First Amendment."
A federal judge in Los Angeles had initially ruled against the charges brought against Lemon, with a magistrate judge rejecting the case last week. However, Attorney General Bondi had appealed the decision.
Lemon's involvement in the protest was reportedly not as that of a protester, but rather as an independent journalist covering the event. He posted videos on social media showing protesters and interviewed churchgoers and protesters. The indictment alleges that Lemon and others attempted to block worshippers at the church.
The Department of Justice responded to the magistrate judge's ruling, stating that there is no exception in law that would permit journalists or their producers to use force or physically obstruct worshippers exercising their First Amendment rights.
As a result of his arrest, Lemon was taken into custody by federal agents while covering the Grammy Awards. His attorney has vowed to fight the charges in court, calling it an "unprecedented attack on the First Amendment."
The incident has sparked widespread criticism from journalists and civil liberties groups, with many accusing Attorney General Bondi of trying to intimidate and silence critics of President Trump's administration.
In a statement, Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass condemned the arrest as "an egregious assault on constitutionally protected First Amendment rights." She also expressed her solidarity with Lemon and Emmy-winning news producer Georgia Fort, who was also arrested for reporting on the protest.
In a stunning move, US Attorney General Pam Bondi announced Friday that former CNN journalist Don Lemon has been released from jail on personal recognizance following his arrest by federal agents in Los Angeles. The arrest came amidst an indictment of Lemon and three others for civil rights crimes related to an anti-ICE protest at a Minnesota church.
According to officials, the incident took place on January 18th, where protesters disrupted a service at the Cities Church in St. Paul, where a US Immigration and Customs Enforcement official is a pastor. The protests were reportedly chanting "Justice for Renee Good," a phrase that has sparked controversy in the past.
Attorney General Pam Bondi had previously claimed responsibility for the arrests on social media, stating that the government would not tolerate attacks on places of worship. Lemon's attorney, Abbe Lowell, disputed this claim, arguing that his client was simply doing his job as an independent journalist and that the arrest is an "unprecedented attack on the First Amendment."
A federal judge in Los Angeles had initially ruled against the charges brought against Lemon, with a magistrate judge rejecting the case last week. However, Attorney General Bondi had appealed the decision.
Lemon's involvement in the protest was reportedly not as that of a protester, but rather as an independent journalist covering the event. He posted videos on social media showing protesters and interviewed churchgoers and protesters. The indictment alleges that Lemon and others attempted to block worshippers at the church.
The Department of Justice responded to the magistrate judge's ruling, stating that there is no exception in law that would permit journalists or their producers to use force or physically obstruct worshippers exercising their First Amendment rights.
As a result of his arrest, Lemon was taken into custody by federal agents while covering the Grammy Awards. His attorney has vowed to fight the charges in court, calling it an "unprecedented attack on the First Amendment."
The incident has sparked widespread criticism from journalists and civil liberties groups, with many accusing Attorney General Bondi of trying to intimidate and silence critics of President Trump's administration.
In a statement, Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass condemned the arrest as "an egregious assault on constitutionally protected First Amendment rights." She also expressed her solidarity with Lemon and Emmy-winning news producer Georgia Fort, who was also arrested for reporting on the protest.
just when you think journalism is safe... don't do that to your job, Don 
. arrest for doing your job? 
that's not freedom of speech, that's a slap in the face 
. Attorney General Bondi needs to explain why she thinks journalists should be silenced like that 
.
, don't even get me started on this Don Lemon situation! like, I get that he's a journalist and all, but come on AG Pam Bondi, why you gotta arrest him at the Grammy Awards? wasn't he just doin his job? and now he's out on personal recognizance 
but let's be real, this is some fishy stuff goin down... or maybe it's just a big misunderstanding 
. either way, I'm all about free speech and the First Amendment, so this whole thing gotta be called out 
.
. I think Don Lemon's arrest sets a worrying precedent for independent journalists like himself. The Department of Justice's stance that journalists can't use force or physically obstruct worshippers exercising their First Amendment rights seems overly broad and restrictive 
. It's especially concerning when you consider the fact that Lemon was simply doing his job as an observer, not actively participating in the protest 
.
. The fact that she appealed the magistrate judge's ruling despite initial doubts about the case raises questions about her true motives 
.
. It's crucial that we stand up for Lemon and other journalists who are being targeted by those in power 
.
. I mean, can you believe they'd take a journalist like Don Lemon to jail just because he's doing his job? 
I don't get why Abbe Lowell didn't just say "um, no" and walk away from this whole thing... anyway, back to the layout: I need to create a timeline for when these events went down. Maybe I'll use a bullet-point format or an infographic to really drive home the point... 
Like, what's next? Arresting people for breathing too loudly while protesting? 
I mean, come on, Don Lemon was just trying to do some journalism and get the scoop, not incite violence or vandalize a church. And now he's out on bail because some Attorney General thinks she can dictate who gets arrested for what? 
.
! That's some crazy stuff going down. I mean, as a journalist, you gotta be willing to take risks and report on things that are important, even if it means getting arrested for it 
. And now the Department of Justice is trying to say that there's no exception in law for journalists to use force or physically obstruct worshippers exercising their First Amendment rights? Like, what even is that? #FirstAmendmentRights #JournalistSafety.
. He was just doing his job and reporting on something that was happening in real-time #FakeNews.
. And I'm all about fighting for Don Lemon and the freedom of the press