Two U.S. Journalists Released After Arrests Over Minnesota Church Protest Coverage

Two journalists — former CNN presenter Don Lemon and independent reporter Georgia Fort — were released after being arrested on federal charges connected to their coverage of an anti-immigration enforcement protest at a church in St. Paul, Minnesota, in January 2026. Both were taken into custody after a federal grand jury indictment alleged civil rights violations tied to a January 18 protest that disrupted a worship service and targeted a pastor also identified as an ICE official.

Don Lemon, who was covering other assignments when federal agents arrested him in Los Angeles on January 29, appeared before a judge and was released without bail on January 30 after a federal magistrate ordered his release on personal recognisance, meaning he did not have to post bond but must comply with court conditions, including travel restrictions. Lemon maintained outside court that he had been present solely in his role as a journalist reporting the event and vowed to continue his work and fight the charges, which include conspiracy and interference with the exercise of religious freedom at a place of worship.

Georgia Fort — an independent journalist who livestreamed and documented the protest — was also released under similar conditions after her appearance before the same judge. Her attorney argued that Fort’s presence was protected by the First Amendment and that she was engaged in reporting rather than participating in protest activities when federal agents executed her arrest early that morning. The judge determined that she was not accused of committing a violent crime and allowed her release accordingly.

The dual releases were met with applause in court and have fed into broader national discussions about press freedom in the United States. Critics — including press organisations and civil liberties advocates — have decried the arrests as an intimidation tactic that could chill journalists’ ability to cover protests and public demonstrations, emphasising that newsgathering, even in contentious contexts, is protected by the First Amendment. Legal experts highlighted that the case sits at the intersection of coverage of protest actions and criminal law typically applied to physical interference with religious worship, raising novel legal questions about journalists’ protections.

The DOJ’s use of statutes such as the Freedom of Access to Clinic Entrances (FACE) Act and conspiracy provisions against journalists covering public protest coverage has drawn notable political and legal scrutiny, with supporters of Lemon and Fort warning that the decisions could set concerning precedents for press freedom if left unchecked as the case advances to further hearings scheduled later in February 2026.

Reference –

https://www.nytimes.com/2026/01/30/us/don-lemon-arrest-minnesota-church-protest.html

https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2026/jan/30/don-lemon-minnesota-protest-charges

https://www.npr.org/2026/01/31/nx-s1-5695230/don-lemon-georgia-fort-release

https://edition.cnn.com/2026/01/30/politics/don-lemon-custody

https://kstp.com/kstp-news/top-news/2-journalists-arrested-after-covering-st-paul-church-protest/