Democrats condemn Don Lemon’s arrest as ‘illegitimate’ and ‘assault’ on First Amendment

Democrats criticized the Justice Department for “weaponizing” the federal government after former CNN anchor Don Lemon was arrested Thursday night during an anti-immigration enforcement protest in a Minnesota church.

Lemon, who was arrested alongside three other people, maintains that he was there in an official capacity as an independent journalist and had no connection with the group. 

“Should the Department of Justice continue with a stunning and troubling effort to silence and punish a journalist for doing his job, Don will call out their latest attack on the rule of law and fight any charges vigorously and thoroughly through court,” Lemon’s attorney Abbe Lowell said on X. 

While Lemon hasn’t yet called out the Justice Department, many Democrats and news organizations have come to his defense.