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Federal agents quietly took Don Lemon into custody in Los Angeles this week over his role in the angry January demonstration that shut down a Sunday service in St. Paul. The arrest marks a rare moment when the federal government has moved decisively to protect a house of worship from political intimidation, and hardworking Americans should take notice that law and order still matters.
Video and eyewitness accounts show the January 18 protesters barging into the Cities Church chanting “ICE out” and confronting parishioners while a pastor with ties to federal immigration work was present. Church members say the invasion blocked parents from reaching their children, scared families and forced worshippers to flee, proving this was not peaceful civil disobedience but a targeted disruption of sacred space.
Attorney General Pam Bondi’s Justice Department made clear that worship is a protected liberty and announced arrests connected to the coordinated intrusion, including Lemon and several activists. Conservatives ought to applaud an administration that treats the sanctity of church services seriously and refuses to let political mobs treat houses of worship like political stages.
Lemon insists he was acting as a journalist, a defense his lawyer has pledged to take to court as he vows to fight the charges vigorously. But his own livestream and comments before the event — coaching and accompanying protesters — raise serious questions about whether he crossed the line from observer to participant, and whether left-leaning media figures get a different standard.
It’s worth remembering that just days after the incident a magistrate judge initially pushed back on prosecutors’ first attempt to charge Lemon, showing this case has real courtroom complexity and will be hashed out under the rule of law. The American people deserve a fair process, but fairness does not mean permitting theatrical invasions of worship in the name of politics.
This episode should serve as a wake-up call: conservative voters must defend both free speech and the right to worship without intimidation. If the media wants to play activist and egg on chaos, they should not be surprised when law enforcement restores order and holds them accountable for crossing the line.
