Journalist Don Lemon and three others were arrested Friday in connection with a January protest that disrupted a church service in St. Paul, Minnesota.
The arrests marked an escalation in a case that has drawn national attention over press freedom, protest activity, and federal enforcement.
Lemon was taken into custody in Los Angeles, where he had been covering the Grammy Awards, according to his attorney.
Federal authorities said the arrests stem from a coordinated action at Cities Church, where protesters interrupted worship to oppose immigration enforcement.
Attorney General Pam Bondi confirmed that Lemon, Georgia Fort, Trahern Jeen Crews, and Jamael Lydell Lundy were arrested at her direction.
Authorities have not publicly detailed the specific charges related to the January 18 protest.
A magistrate judge previously rejected prosecutors’ initial attempt to charge Lemon, citing insufficient evidence, before encouraging a grand jury review.
Lemon has said he attended the protest strictly as a journalist documenting events and interviewing participants.
His attorney stated, “Don has been a journalist for 30 years, and his constitutionally protected work in Minneapolis was no different than what he has always done.”
Fort, an independent journalist, livestreamed as agents arrived at her home to execute an arrest warrant linked to the same incident.
Court records related to the latest arrests were not immediately available.
The protest focused on immigration enforcement and referenced the fatal shooting of Renee Good by an ICE officer in Minneapolis.
The arrests have intensified criticism from journalists, civil rights advocates, and press freedom organizations.
Minnesota Attorney General Keith Ellison said the detentions were “deeply troubling,” arguing journalists should not be treated as criminals for doing their jobs.
Kelly McBride of the Poynter Institute said the actions appear aimed at discouraging scrutiny of the administration.
Civil rights leader Rev. Al Sharpton described Lemon’s arrest as “alarming,” warning of pressure on First Amendment protections.
Crews, a Black Lives Matter Minnesota leader, said the case reflects a broader pattern of activists being targeted.
Church leaders welcomed the arrests, saying federal action was necessary to protect the right to worship safely.
Bondi said violations of that right would be met with enforcement.
As the case proceeds, it continues to test the boundaries between protest, private property, and the role of journalists covering politically charged events.