admin
Don Lemon’s recent arrest over his role in the disruptive anti‑ICE protest at Cities Church in St. Paul is a loud reminder that no one is above the law simply because they wear the mantle of “journalist.” Federal prosecutors moved to indict Lemon and others after footage showed the chaotic intrusion into a worship service; the case has ignited a firestorm about where reporting ends and participation begins. This controversy is not a technicality — it’s about protecting the sacred right of Americans to worship without being shouted down.
The incident itself unfolded on January 18, when protesters entered Cities Church during a service, chanting and livestreaming as they accused a pastor tied to ICE of misconduct — and Lemon was a prominent presence on that livestream. Authorities say the disruption crossed the line into interfering with worshippers’ First Amendment rights, and they have treated the on‑site footage as evidence, not just press coverage. Conservatives should object to lawless mob tactics, even when they’re packaged as righteous outrage, and insist on order and respect for private worship.
Federal agents arrested Lemon in Los Angeles on January 30, and he was later released on his own recognizance; the indictment alleges conspiracy and interference with religious exercise at a place of worship. Those are serious federal civil‑rights charges, and the Justice Department has signaled it will pursue accountability for anyone who helped plan or amplify the disruption. No matter how loudly the left screams “press freedom,” real criminal conduct is still criminal conduct — and the rule of law must be evenhanded.
Don Lemon and his defenders insist he was merely reporting — a familiar line from celebrity journalists who treat their punditry like a protective shield. But prosecutors point to more than passive filming: they say some journalists didn’t just observe the chaos, they amplified and organized it, blurring the line between observer and participant. The American public deserves a media that reports, not a media that takes sides and becomes part of the spectacle it pretends to cover.
This is also a moment to praise officials who stand up for places of worship. The Department of Justice’s move to pursue charges, and public endorsements from leaders defending the churchgoers’ right to worship, send the right message: disruption of religious services will not be tolerated. Conservatives believe in free speech, but free speech does not include trampling on others’ liberties or turning sacred spaces into political stages.
Make no mistake: defending the rule of law doesn’t mean silencing dissent — it means enforcing the rules that protect everyone, including the vulnerable and the devout. If journalists want to keep their constitutional protections, they must not weaponize the press to foment disorder or shield political theatrics from accountability. Americans who cherish both faith and freedom should demand clarity: journalism must not be a license for lawlessness.
At the end of the day, this case is a referendum on media elites who think their status places them above common citizens and the law itself. Hardworking Americans know that accountability should be blind to celebrity and partisan identity; if that principle means uncomfortable prosecutions, so be it. Stand with the right to worship, stand for equal enforcement, and don’t let the protesters’ hashtags and celebrity sympathizers rewrite the meaning of justice.
