Don Lemon, an independent journalist who formerly worked for CNN, has pled not guilty to charges of violating federal civil rights protections when a protest interrupted a worship service in a Minnesota church in January, the Associated Press reports. Lemon appeared in court Friday as one of five people arraigned in the case. Lemon said he was covering the protest as an independent journalist when demonstrators confronted a pastor at Cities Church in St. Paul, whom they accused of being an immigration enforcement agent. Speaking to the media immediately following his release, Lemon said, "I will not stop now, I will not stop ever." MORE FROM DON LEMON | Don Lemon believes DOJ will try to charge him, calls Nicki Minaj 'racist' in exclusive Scripps News interview

Source: CNN February 13, 2026 19:42 UTC