On a chilly Sunday morning in January, the echoes of protest reverberated inside Cities Church in St. Paul, Minnesota. Protesters, cameras rolling, disrupted worship, frightening children and congregants alike. Among them stood former CNN anchor Don Lemon, claiming to be "just a journalist." Last Friday, Lemon and four co-defendants entered not guilty pleas to federal civil rights charges under the FACE Act—the Freedom of Access to Clinic Entrances Act—meant to protect Americans' right to worship. Outside the courthouse, Lemon painted himself as a martyr for journalism, boldly declaring, "I will not be intimidated. I will not back down."
- Don Lemon claims press freedom after being charged under the FACE Act for disrupting a church service.
- The protest targeted Cities Church due to one pastor's role in ICE, sparking outrage over religious liberty.
- Lemon's defense raises questions about prosecutorial integrity and political pressure from the Trump administration.
Yet, Lemon's stirring rhetoric omits a crucial detail: he wasn't charged for reporting. Federal prosecutors allege a "takeover-style assault" on a house of worship, not journalism. According to the DOJ indictment, Lemon and fellow protesters labeled the pastor and congregation "Nazis," called the church "the house of the devil," and disrupted the service, refusing to leave. That's not journalism—that's a mob with a microphone.
The protest was aimed at Cities Church because Pastor David Easterwood also serves as ICE's acting field office director in the Twin Cities. Though Easterwood wasn't leading the service that day, the protesters stormed in, turning the sanctuary into a political spectacle under the guise of protesting the Trump administration's immigration enforcement policies.
The FACE Act, enacted in 1994 under Bill Clinton, prohibits "force, threat of force, or physical obstruction" against anyone exercising religious freedom at a place of worship. It's a federal law that, until now, had not been applied to protect Christians worshipping in their own churches. Under the Biden administration, the FACE Act predominantly targeted pro-life advocates, with zero prosecutions for the 436 documented attacks on churches in 2023. The Trump DOJ is now enforcing the law as intended, and the left is up in arms.
Nekima Levy Armstrong, a prominent civil rights attorney and co-defendant, echoed Lemon's defiance, accusing the federal government of trying to "silence us." Her arrest photo, altered by the White House into a meme, provides her defense with ammunition for claims of political persecution—a move that was both tasteless and counterproductive. However, the case's merits shouldn't be overshadowed by its political theatre. The issue at hand is whether these defendants physically obstructed and intimidated worshippers. Congregants describe the event as "traumatic," with children left scared and one attendee recounting racial slurs directed at his Asian girlfriend.
True North Legal's Renee Carlson asserts, "The First Amendment does not protect premeditated schemes to violate the sanctity of a sanctuary." Indeed, no journalist has the right to storm a church during services and claim immunity due to press status. If conservative activists had disrupted a mosque, the media would unanimously decry it as a hate crime. The hypocrisy is staggering.
In a bizarre twist, Lemon's defense attorney, Joe Thompson, once served as deputy chief of the U.S. Attorney's Office that charged Lemon. Thompson resigned in protest of the Trump administration's handling of federal officer-involved shootings in Minneapolis. His role as Lemon's defender underscores Minnesota's political fracture. Judges initially found no probable cause for Lemon's arrest, but a grand jury later returned indictments. Lemon's defense is now seeking grand jury transcripts, alleging potential prosecutorial misconduct and political pressure from the Trump administration.
These allegations warrant attention, as they challenge prosecutorial integrity—a concern that transcends political lines. But they don't alter the core fact: a church service was invaded, disrupted, and congregants intimidated, solely because one pastor worked for a federal agency. This incident has catalyzed GOP-led states to draft legislation making such disruptions felonies, sending a clear message: America will not tolerate political protest masquerading as religious disruption.
Lemon frames this as a press freedom issue, while his supporters cry government overreach. Yet, for the families at Cities Church, it's about their violated right to worship peacefully. The FACE Act's enforcement in this context marks a first in its history—defending Christians against intimidation. Lemon's journalistic façade doesn't hold water. The First Amendment shields reporting, not participation in mob-like disruptions. If his defense prevails, that's the legal process at work. However, his claim that this prosecution attacks press freedom rings hollow. It's self-serving rhetoric that further erodes trust in the media.
Facing up to a year in prison and significant fines, the defendants' case will be closely watched for its legal implications and its impact on America's commitment to religious liberty. For conservatives and Christians, this is a demonstration of lawful enforcement, long overdue. The FACE Act has been on the books for decades, and at last, it is being used as intended.
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