Photos: YouTube Screenshots
WASHINGTON, D.C. — Journalist and former CNN anchor Don Lemon was arrested in Los Angeles last night. Lemon livestreamed an anti-ICE demonstration in St. Paul, MN earlier this month that interrupted a church service.
Lisa Gilbert, co-president of Public Citizen, issued the following statement:
“Don Lemon’s arrest is an egregious violation of the 1st amendment. Reporters in America are free to view, document, and share information with the public.
“This arrest is a constitutional violation, an outrage, an authoritarian breach, and utterly appalling.”
After reports that journalist and former CNN anchor Don Lemon was arrested on charges that he violated federal law while covering a protest at a church in St. Paul, Minnesota, Neera Tanden, president and CEO of the Center for American Progress, issued the following statement:
When the government starts arresting journalists for covering news events, no one is safe. Assailing and intimidating the press are hallmarks of authoritarian governments. This is a dangerous escalation by the Trump administration against the media and First Amendment rights. All people who believe free speech is a cornerstone of liberty must call on this administration to end its attacks on our freedoms.
Editor’s Note: Don Lemon’s attorney Abbe Lowell criticized the Trump Administration’s arrest of Lemon saying: “Instead of investigating the federal agents who killed two peaceful Minnesota protesters, the Trump Justice Department is devoting its time, attention and resources to this arrest, and that is the real indictment of wrongdoing in this case. This unprecedented attack on the First Amendment and transparent attempt to distract attention from the many crises facing this administration will not stand. Don will fight these charges vigorously and thoroughly in court.”
Several days ago, a judge dismissed the Trump Administration’s first attempt to arrest Lemon for covering the protest at the church in Minnesota. Will legacy media denounce this outrageous arrest of Don Lemon–who worked for years at CNN?
