Don Lemon was arrested on Thursday night following an anti-ICE protest in a church in St. Paul, Minnesota, last week.
His attorney, Abbe Lowell, said in a statement early this morning: ‘Don Lemon was taken into custody by federal agents last night in Los Angeles, where he was covering the Grammy Awards.
‘Don has been a journalist for 30 years, and his constitutionally protected work in Minneapolis was no different than what he has always done.
‘The First Amendment exists to protect journalists whose role it is to shine light on the truth and hold those in power accountable.
‘Instead of investigating the federal agents who killed two peaceful Minnesota protesters, the Trump Justice Department is devoting its time, attention, and resources to this arrest, and that is the real indictment of wrongdoing in this case.
‘This unprecedented attack on the First Amendment and transparent attempt to distract attention from the many crises facing this administration will not stand.’
Lemon, who was a host on CNN from 2014 to 2023, has been charged with ‘conspiracy to deprive rights and with a violation of the FACE Act, interfering by force of someone’s First Amendment rights.’
The Freedom of Access to Clinic Entrances (FACE) Act criminalises ‘violence, threats, obstruction, and property damage intended to interfere with someone’s access to reproductive health services or religious worship.’
Lowell added that Lemon, 59, ‘will fight these charges vigorously and thoroughly in court’.
Demonstrators gathered at the service because the pastor, David Eastwood, allegedly works for Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE).
Lemon, who was pictured alongside rapper Busta Rhymes ahead of this weekend’s Grammys hours before his arrest, was filming protestors at the time.