Federal arrests follow January disruption at Cities Church
Thunder Bay – NEWS – Former CNN anchor Don Lemon—now working as an independent journalist—was arrested by federal agents in Los Angeles in connection with a January 18, 2026 protest that disrupted a worship service at Cities Church in St. Paul, according to statements from his lawyer and the U.S. government.
Three others were also taken into custody, including another independent journalist Georgia Fort.
Lemon was arrested while in Los Angeles, where he had been covering the Grammy Awards, according to his attorney Abbe Lowell.
What sparked the protest inside the church
The January 18 action was organized around opposition to stepped-up immigration enforcement and specifically targeted a pastor at Cities Church whom demonstrators identified as an Immigration and Customs Enforcement official—named in multiple reports as David Easterwood, described as acting field director of the St. Paul ICE office.
Protesters said Easterwood was not at the church at the time; another pastor, Jonathan Parnell, was seen engaging with demonstrators in video circulated online.
There are report that demonstrators chanted slogans including “ICE out” and “Justice for Renee Good,” referring to Renee Good, described as a 37-year-old mother of three who was fatally shot by an ICE officer in Minneapolis—an incident that has become part of the broader anger driving protests in the region.
Who was arrested and what’s alleged
In addition to Lemon and Fort, authorities arrested activist Trahern Jeen Crews and public official Jamael Lydell Lundy, according to statements attributed to U.S. Attorney General Pam Bondi.
Charges were reported as still sealed in some coverage, but Reuters cited a Justice Department official saying Lemon faces allegations including a civil-rights conspiracy count and a charge tied to obstructing access to a place of worship—reported as involving the 1994 FACE Act.
Earlier bid for a warrant was rejected before new arrests
A key flashpoint: a federal magistrate judge previously declined to approve an arrest warrant for Lemon, citing a lack of probable cause, according to Reuters and additional reporting. Reuters reported prosecutors then sought review from higher courts and were told the proper path was to pursue a grand jury indictment.
Lemon and Fort say they were reporting, not participating
Lemon has repeatedly said he was present as a journalist documenting events, not as an organizer or activist, and his lawyer called the arrest an attack on the First Amendment.
Fort livestreamed as agents arrived at her door, saying she was being arrested for filming the protest—an account echoed in multiple reports.
Fallout: press-freedom groups and legal experts raise alarms
Civil-rights leader Al Sharpton criticized the arrests as an attempt to intimidate journalists, while the National Association of Black Journalists said it was “outraged and deeply alarmed,” warning of a chilling effect—especially on independent and local reporters.
Reuters also quoted legal experts saying the use of certain federal statutes against a journalist for newsgathering is highly unusual, and highlighted broader scrutiny of federal enforcement actions in Minnesota amid reports of fatal shootings during clashes tied to the immigration surge.
Why this story lands close to home in Northwestern Ontario
Thunder Bay readers will recognize the regional proximity: the Twin Cities and Duluth are key cross-border hubs for travel, education, and commerce. Beyond U.S. politics, the case raises a wider question that matters on both sides of the border—what protections working journalists (especially freelancers) can rely on when covering fast-moving protests where police or federal agents later allege criminal conduct.
What comes next
Court filings and indictments are expected to clarify the specific allegations and evidence against each defendant. Until the charges are unsealed and argued in open court, the central dispute remains: federal authorities characterize the incident as a coordinated disruption of worship, while Lemon and Fort argue they were doing constitutionally protected newsgathering.
Summary: FBI arrests Don Lemon, Georgia Fort after anti-ICE protest disrupts St. Paul church service, Minnesota
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