On January 30, Trahern Jeen Crews, Jamael Lydell Lundy, former CNN journalist Don Lemon, and independent Minnesotan reporter Georgia Fort were arrested by federal agents. Trump’s Department of Justice (DOJ) accuses them of taking part in a coordinated protest that obstructed and intimidated those attending services held by the Cities Church in St. Paul, Minnesota.
Lemon was specifically arrested by the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) and Homeland Security Investigations in Beverly Hills, California.
This comes despite a judge declining to approve Lemon’s arrest last week, due to a lack of evidence against him. Indeed, in reality, Lemon and Georgia Fort were at the scene of the protest to record the ongoing situation, with the former live-streaming it. Lemon’s lawyer, Abbe Lowell, fired back at the Trump administration:
“Instead of investigating the federal agents who killed two peaceful Minnesota protesters, the Trump Justice Department is devoting its time, attention and resources to this arrest, and that is the real indictment of wrongdoing in this case,’ Lowell said. “This unprecedented attack on the First Amendment and transparent attempt to distract attention from the many crises facing this administration will not stand.
“Don will fight these charges vigorously and thoroughly in court,” Lowell added.
NBC
Despite the Trump administration’s attempt to exploit the FACE Act, which illegalizes intimidation and coercion within reproductive services facilities and houses of worship, two of the previously arrested protesters were released, also because of a lack of evidence against them. Even two Trump appointed judges, as well as an Obama appointed judge, as part of a three-judge panel, turned down a Trump request to issue a writ of mandamus to force Minnesota’s chief district judge to take immediate action against five of the protesters.
The protest in question was caused because its pastor, David Easterwood, is allegedly the acting director for Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s (ICE) field office in St. Paul. As Trump has politicized ICE, this may run afoul of the separation of church and state. However, the DOJ has not indicated that they will investigate this potential violation of the First Amendment.
