Don Lemon, who has been in Los Angeles this week to cover the 68th Grammy Awards (scheduled on the 2026 TV schedule for this Sunday), was released on Friday, January 30 after he was taken into custody on Thursday night on civil rights violation charges. The former CNN anchor, who currently operates as an independent journalist, was arrested by two federal agents for attending an anti-ICE protest inside a church in St. Paul, Minnesota on Sunday, January 18.
After his hearing on Friday afternoon, he's been allowed to walk free by U.S. District Judge Patricia Donahue, who denied the government's request to order a $100K bond and limit his travel to New York or back to Minnesota, per Variety. But that's not the end of his legal troubles. Lemon has been asked to make another appearance in court in Minneapolis, Minnesota on Monday, February 9. Following his release, Lemon said the following, per his Instagram:
Last night, the DOJ sent a team of federal agents to arrest me in the middle of the night for doing what I have been doing for 30 years. The First Amendment to the U.S. Constitution protects that work for me and countless other journalists who do what I do. I stand with all of them, and I will not be silenced. I look forward to my day in court.
The journalist is being charged with violating federal laws by reportedly going past the line of activity that is protected by the First Amendment and impeding the right for citizens to practice their religious beliefs. While Lemon was live-streaming the protest that began outside a church before going inside with protestors where he proceeded to interview them, congregants, and a pastor inside.
Lemon has earned restrictions to his international travel as a result of the arrest aside from a vacation to France this summer, as requested by his attorney Marilyn Bednarski. She argued that he has no history of violence nor does he pose any flight risk following assistant U.S. attorney Alexander Robbins alleging that Don Lemon "knowingly joined a mob and stormed into a church and terrorized people engaged in worship services" while he attended the protest. Lemon says he was simply reporting on the event.
Early on Friday morning, United States Attorney General Pamela Bondi shared on social media that Lemon and three other people were arrested at her orders. Check out her post:
At my direction, early this morning federal agents arrested Don Lemon, Trahern Jeen Crews, Georgia Fort, and Jamael Lydell Lundy, in connection with the coordinated attack on Cities Church in St. Paul, Minnesota.More details soon.January 30, 2026
Don Lemon's lawyer said the journalist is "committed to fighting his case." We don't currently know if Lemon will still be part of the Grammys red carpet livestream he's in Los Angeles for the time being. The 68th Grammys will be on CBS this Sunday, and will stream live for those with a Paramount+ subscription.
