Former CNN anchor Don Lemon was seen on video with anti-ICE activists moments before they stormed a St Paul, Minnesota, church during a Sunday service, footage and livestreams show, undermining his repeated claims that he had no prior affiliations with the group and was there purely in a journalistic capacity. The incident has provoked federal scrutiny, deep criticism from legal authorities and political figures, and raised urgent questions about the boundary between media coverage and active participation in protest movements.
On Sunday, 18 January 2026, a group of anti-Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) protesters disrupted services at Cities Church in St Paul, chanting slogans and confronting congregants after accusing one of the church's pastors of alleged ties to federal immigration enforcement. Former CNN host Don Lemon livestreamed segments of the protest on his YouTube channel and was visibly present with the group as they approached and entered the church.
