Former CNN anchor Don Lemon was arrested and charged following his involvement in an illegal protest that disrupted a church service in Minneapolis, according to court documents unsealed this week.

Lemon addressed the charges publicly over the weekend, dismissing concerns about his arrest and signaling that he intends to continue his activism.

Federal authorities allege that Lemon participated in an anti-ICE protest that targeted Cities Church last month while a worship service was underway.

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According to the indictment, Lemon and other demonstrators entered the sanctuary, interrupted the service, and confronted congregants and clergy after alleging that the church’s pastor had ties to Immigration and Customs Enforcement.

Lemon livestreamed the event as it unfolded. During the broadcast, he defended the disruption as protected political activity.

“This is what the First Amendment is about, the freedom to protest,” Lemon said.

“I’m sure people here don’t like it, but protests are not comfortable.”

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The indictment states that Lemon and other participants “oppressed, threatened, and intimidated the Church’s congregants and pastors by physically occupying most of the main aisle and rows of chairs near the front of the Church, engaging in menacing and threatening behavior, (for some) chanting and yelling loudly at the pastor and congregants, and/or physically obstructing them as they attempted to exit and/or move about within the Church.”

Prosecutors allege that Lemon refused to leave when asked by the pastor.

The indictment notes that Lemon “pepper[ed] him with questions to promote the operation’s message” and “ignored the pastor’s request and did not immediately leave the Church.”

Court filings further allege that Lemon was involved in advance planning of the protest.

According to the indictment, Lemon participated in a pre-operation briefing with activist Nekima Armstrong and other co-conspirators, during which the group discussed the target location and tactics to be used.

The document states that Armstrong described “Operation Pullup” as a “clandestine” action intended to “show up somewhere that is a key location, [where the targets] don’t expect us … and we disrupt business as usual.”

The indictment alleges that Lemon acknowledged the secrecy of the plan during the briefing and told Armstrong he would see her at the site.

Before traveling to the church, Lemon advised his livestream audience, “We’re going to head to the operation. Again, we’re not going to give any, any of the information away.”

Following his arrest on Friday morning, Lemon addressed the charges during his podcast on Saturday.

He downplayed the seriousness of the situation and said he was not concerned about potential consequences.

“I think people think like, I’m really scared. I am not,” Lemon said.

“You don’t even know the experience that I had over the last couple days.”

Lemon described the arrest and charging process as unexpected but framed it as instructive.

“As a journalist, it was quite a learning experience,” he said, adding that the experience “really opened my eyes to a lot.”

He suggested that the episode would not cause him to retreat from public activism.

“So, if you think that I was outspoken before this, [laughter] just wait,” Lemon said.

He also dismissed speculation that the charges would deter him.

“I know that there are people who think like, oh, you know, do this, and you know that I’m gonna be locked up or whatever. I ain’t worried about that,” Lemon said.

“You heard the truth, and the truth shall make you free. I ain’t even worried about that.”

Lemon addressed political themes and critics in the comments section.

“Republicans better wake up. A dictator doesn’t need Congress,” he said, while thanking supporters who sent messages during the stream.

The case remains pending as federal prosecutors continue to pursue charges related to the church disruption.

Court records indicate that Lemon and several other defendants face allegations connected to interference with religious worship and coordinated protest activity. No trial date has been announced.

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