Don Lemon, now an “independent journalist” after losing his position at CNN, has told a Minnesota judge that he’s innocent of charges of disrupting a church service that he invaded with a film crew and a team of agitators.
The Washington Examiner characterized his confrontation with Cities Church in St. Paul, Minn., in January as him “storming” the congregation.
He was part of a group of agitators that violated the church’s constitutional rights by barging in during the service, haranguing and scolding church members and terrifying children.
He was accused of violating the Freedom of Access to Clinic Entrances Act, and the Department of Justice accused him and others of interfering with the constitutionally protected right to exercise religious freedom.
The attack on Cities Church happened on Jan. 18, prosecutors charge, when the agitators came against the Christian members as part of a coordinated demonstration against Immigration and Customs Enforcement officers in the region to enforce federal law.
It actually was, according to Attorney General Pam Bondi, a “coordinated attack on Cities Church in St. Paul, Minnesota.” Authorities have promised that people will not be allowed to get away with illegal activities just by calling themselves a “journalist.”
Lemon ended up under arrest on Jan. 20, and supporters of the prosecution said Lemon was not observing, but actively participating in the disruption in the church.
Lemon has claimed he did nothing wrong.
Breaking: Don Lemon, the disgraced former CNN propagandist who repeatedly gloated about being a black gay liberal who hated on Trump & MAGA, pleaded not guilty to charges of conspiracy to deprive religious freedom rights and a violation of the FACE Act. Lock him up! pic.twitter.com/3xk1sI2aEE
— Dennis Michael Lynch (@TrustDML) February 13, 2026
JUST IN: Statement from Cities Church attorneys and pastor after today’s arraignments of five defendants, including Don Lemon
“By pleading not guilty, Don Lemon and other defendants are doubling down on their claim that the press can do whatever they want under the auspices… pic.twitter.com/K60R3zBL02
— Anthony Gockowski (@AntGockowski) February 13, 2026
WorldNetDaily has reported that Assistant Attorney General Harmeet Dhillon has warned she doesn’t care if people who obstruct worship services call themselves journalists. They’re still going to face the full penalty of the law.
“I don’t care if they’re a journalist or not. I’ve personally represented numerous journalists, and I’ve been a journalist,” Dhillon told The Daily Signal in an interview. “I highly respect the press and the First Amendment.”
“What I don’t respect is somebody violating somebody else’s First Amendment rights in their sanctuary, which is protected by federal law as well as the First Amendment,” she added, “and that’s what happened in this case.”
Dhillon said in this case, “Don Lemon is just another person who obstructed worshipers, harassed them, intimidated them, and violated the sanctity of their sacred space. He’s just one of many, and so he’s being treated the same. I don’t think he gets special treatment because he is cloaking himself in the garb of journalism.”
In the Cities Church attack, agitators blocked stairs so “parents were unable to get to their children” at Sunday School, according to the indictment of some of the agitators.
Congregants “were terrorized, our children were weeping, college students and young women were sobbing, it was impactful, and it will take time to work through,” according to the indictment.
So far, nine people have been arrested for their involvement in the attack.
My remarks following my court appearance today in Minneapolis. pic.twitter.com/KVqv3yvouf
— Don Lemon (@Donlemonbsky) February 13, 2026