Don Lemon arrives for the Time Magazine 100 gala celebrating their list of the 100 Most Influential People in the world in New York City, New York, U.S., April 26, 2023. REUTERS/Andrew Kelly
(New York, New York) – The Department of Justice says federal prosecutors are heading to Minnesota following the illegal disruption of a Christian church service, and Don Lemon is facing mounting backlash not only for his presence at the scene, but for what he said afterward.
According to DOJ officials, prosecutors were dispatched from Washington, DC, overnight as the FBI and the U.S. Attorney’s Office were activated. The case has been labeled a top-priority matter with the personal attention of the Attorney General.
The incident involved a group of anti-ICE activists entering a church during worship, chanting and filming inside the sanctuary while congregants were gathered. Federal law provides heightened protections for places of worship, and officials have warned that those protections may have been violated.
Following the event, Lemon gave an interview in which he defended the protesters and criticized the churchgoers, describing those inside the church as “entitled” and suggesting they were tied to white supremacy, according to video clips circulating online.
Those remarks immediately fueled outrage, with critics accusing Lemon of smearing worshippers in order to justify the disruption of a religious service. Legal analysts note that while speech itself is protected, statements made after the fact can still factor into intent and context if prosecutors determine crimes were committed.
DOJ leadership has publicly said Lemon is “on notice”, emphasizing that journalists and activists alike are not exempt from federal law when religious freedoms are involved.
No charges have been formally announced yet, but officials made clear the investigation is moving quickly.
