UPDATE 01/30/26 at 7:14 pm ET.
don lemon He was released from police custody on Friday, January 30, after a brief court appearance.
Your lawyer, Marilyn Bednarskitold reporters via The Hollywood Reporter that Lemon is “committed to fighting this case” after being arrested Friday amid an anti-ICE protest at a church in Minnesota.
According to the outlet, U.S. District Judge Patricia Donahue granted Lemon a release without monetary bail after the government decided to impose a $100,000 bail on the journalist. US attorney Alexander Robbins He fought to restrict Lemon to New York, Minnesota and Washington, DC, and force him to surrender his passport, which was denied.
Lemon has been accused of violating federal law by «allegedly crossing a line between activities protected by the First Amendment and impeding the right of others to practice their religious beliefs,» according to THR. He has also been charged with conspiracy against human rights and violation of the Freedom of Access to Clinic Entrances Act.
Lemon is prohibited from contacting victims, witnesses or other defendants in the case under the conditions of his release. The journalist must receive permission from the court to travel internationally, but the judge approved his trip to France in June as previously planned.
Original story below:
don lemon He was arrested on Friday, January 30.
Lemon, 59, was taken into federal custody in Los Angeles, according to The New York Times and CBS News, weeks after he traveled to Minnesota to cover an anti-ICE protest held inside a St. Paul church. His attorney has since addressed the situation.
«Don has been a journalist for 30 years and his constitutionally protected work in Minneapolis was no different than what he has always done,» Lemon’s attorney said. Abbe Lowell says Us weekly in a statement. «The First Amendment exists to protect journalists whose role is to shine a light on the truth and hold those in power accountable. There is no more important time for people like Don to do this work.»
Lemon has claimed that he traveled to Minnesota solely to cover the protest but not to participate.
«Instead of investigating the federal agents who killed two peaceful Minnesota protesters, the Trump Department of Justice is devoting its time, attention and resources to this arrest, and that is the real allegation of wrongdoing in this case,» Lowell’s statement continued. «This unprecedented attack on the First Amendment and transparent attempt to distract from the many crises facing this administration will not stand. Don will vigorously and thoroughly fight these charges in court.»
While CBS News reported that Lemon will face a grand jury in connection with his arrest, the charges were not immediately revealed.
Lemon has worked as a television journalist since 2003 and joined CNN three years later. After hosting The eleventh hour, the Don Lemon show and CNN tonight, Lemon was fired from the network in 2023.
“My agent informed me this morning that CNN had fired me,” he wrote in a statement on social media at the time. «I’m stunned. After 17 years at CNN, I would have thought someone in management would have had the decency to tell me directly. At no point was I given any indication that I wouldn’t be able to continue doing the job I love at the network.»
Lemon, who hosted an episode of CNN this morning Hours earlier, he also stated that it was not his decision to leave the network.
When the news anchor becomes news. From drunken antics on New Year’s Eve to backlash over sexist comments, Don Lemon made waves during his time at CNN. After making a name for himself through his reporting on various Fox and NBC affiliates over the years, Lemon joined CNN in 2006 and became a prominent (…)
«It is clear that there are bigger issues at stake,» he added. «That said, I want to thank my colleagues and the many teams I’ve worked with over an incredible career. They are the most talented journalists in the business and I wish them all the best.»
CNN, however, shut down Lemon’s claims in a statement of its own.
«Don Lemon’s statement regarding this morning’s events is inaccurate,» read a statement from X. «He was offered the opportunity to meet with management, but instead issued a statement on Twitter.»
Lemon has since hosted a web series of the same name via social media.
«It’s hard for me to set boundaries,» he said exclusively. Us in June 2025 of his new position. «Now I’ve learned to say ‘no,’ and they ask me why and I just say ‘no’ just because I’m not… I’m not interested. I need to take care of myself, so my limits now are learning the word ‘no’ and making sure that ‘no’ means what it means. ‘No’ means no.»
