A federal magistrate judge in Minnesota has refused to sign a Department of Justice complaint against former CNN anchor Don Lemon for his role in disrupting a church worship service, even as three other activists face federal charges for the same January 18 incident that terrorized children and congregants.
Story Highlights
- Federal judge blocks DOJ charges against Don Lemon while three other protesters are arrested for invading Minnesota church during worship service
- Lemon livestreamed the January 18 disruption at Cities Church in St. Paul, defending the intrusion as First Amendment-protected protest
- DOJ pursuing charges under FACE Act and Ku Klux Klan Act against activists Nekima Levy Armstrong, Chauntyll Louisa Allen, and William Kelly
- Minnesota Attorney General Keith Ellison disputes federal authority, claiming disruption is protected speech despite terrified children and halted prayers
- Trump administration officials condemn double standard as high-profile journalist escapes accountability while others face prosecution
Judge Blocks Federal Prosecution of Lemon
A federal magistrate judge in Minnesota refused to sign the Department of Justice complaint seeking charges against Don Lemon for his participation in the January 18, 2026 disruption of worship services at Cities Church in St. Paul. The decision came as DOJ Assistant Attorney General Harmeet Dhillon announced federal charges against three other activists involved in the same incident. This judicial resistance highlights the challenges Trump administration officials face in prosecuting cases in liberal jurisdictions, even when religious freedoms are clearly violated. The judge’s refusal effectively shields Lemon from immediate prosecution despite his documented role livestreaming and defending the church invasion.
Anti-Immigration Activists Storm Sunday Service
Anti-immigration protesters invaded Cities Church during Sunday worship on January 18, entering the sanctuary, chanting slogans, and halting prayers while terrifying congregants including children. The demonstrators allegedly targeted the church over unverified claims of a pastor’s affiliation with ICE enforcement activities. Don Lemon entered the church alongside protesters, livestreaming the disruption and questioning church leadership while defending the actions as legitimate First Amendment protest. Pastor Jonathan Parnell condemned the intrusion, stating that invading a church service is “protected by neither Scriptures nor laws.” This attack on religious liberty during worship represents exactly the kind of government-sanctioned intimidation our constitutional protections were designed to prevent.
Federal Charges Proceed Against Three Activists
The Department of Justice arrested three activists—Nekima Levy Armstrong, Chauntyll Louisa Allen, and William Kelly—under consideration of the Freedom of Access to Clinic Entrances Act and the Reconstruction-era Enforcement Act of 1871, also known as the Ku Klux Klan Act. These federal statutes protect religious exercise from coordinated intimidation and interference. DHS Secretary Kristi Noem posted on X that “agitators held accountable,” distinguishing lawful speech from rioting on private property. The selective prosecution raises serious questions about equal justice under law when a high-profile media figure who participated in and promoted the same criminal activity faces no consequences while lesser-known activists are arrested.
Minnesota Officials Defend Church Invaders
Minnesota Attorney General Keith Ellison appeared on Don Lemon’s show to dispute federal authority, arguing the FACE Act applies only to reproductive clinic contexts and claiming the disruption represents protected public voice. This interpretation directly contradicts the statute’s plain language protecting houses of worship from forcible interference. Ellison’s defense of protesters who terrorized children during prayer exposes the warped priorities of state officials more concerned with shielding anti-ICE activists than protecting religious freedom. Assistant AG Dhillon countered that journalism does not provide a “shield from criminal conspiracy,” yet faces obstruction from both state officials and now a federal magistrate unwilling to apply the law equally.
New: Judge Refuses Charges Against Don Lemon, While Others Are Arrested for MN Church Invasion https://t.co/sCXvADXDxo
— JoeBooze 🇺🇸 🇮🇹 GO PACK GO!! FSJ J20 (@JoeBooze716) January 22, 2026
Trump Administration Confronts Two-Tiered Justice
President Trump called Lemon a “LOSER” and praised Pastor Parnell, while Florida Attorney General Pam Bondi reached out to the church leadership in support. The judge’s refusal to sign the complaint against Lemon while allowing prosecution of other participants demonstrates the partisan judicial resistance facing the Trump administration’s efforts to enforce religious liberty protections. This incident tests whether federal religious freedom statutes can shield worshipers from intimidation or whether progressive judges will carve out exceptions for politically favored disruptors. The outcome will set critical precedents for media liability when journalists cross the line from reporting into active participation in criminal disruption of constitutionally protected activities.
