Former CNN host Don Lemon recounted his recent arrest by federal agents during a Monday night appearance on Jimmy Kimmel Live, recounting what he described as a sudden and confusing encounter at a Los Angeles hotel.
Lemon was arrested Thursday in connection with a Jan. 18 incident in St. Paul, Minnesota, where he livestreamed himself entering a church alongside anti–Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) protesters who disrupted a worship service. Speaking with host Jimmy Kimmel, Lemon said he was in Los Angeles to cover the Grammy Awards and had just returned to his hotel when federal agents confronted him.
According to Lemon, the arrest occurred as he was heading toward the elevator with a bag from a Grammy-related event. He said he was suddenly grabbed and handcuffed by individuals who initially did not identify themselves.
Lemon claimed that agents did not immediately show him a warrant and that he repeatedly asked who they were and why he was being detained. He said a person he identified as an FBI agent later showed him a warrant on a cell phone. Lemon added that his glasses fell during the encounter, preventing him from reading the warrant until agents retrieved them.
Despite eventually being shown the warrant, Lemon said he remained confused by the scale of the arrest. He told Kimmel that roughly a dozen agents were involved and criticized what he described as an unnecessary use of resources, claiming his attorney had previously tried to arrange for him to voluntarily turn himself in.
Kimmel suggested the arrest appeared intended to make a public example of Lemon, a sentiment Lemon agreed with. He told the host that he believed the arrest was designed to embarrass and intimidate him.
Lemon said he was taken to a federal courthouse holding room, fingerprinted, and photographed. He estimated that he was held for about 12 hours and said he was not subjected to a strip search.
On Friday, Lemon and several other individuals were formally charged with conspiracy to deprive rights and interfering by force with a person’s First Amendment rights. The charges stem from alleged violations of the Freedom of Access to Clinic Entrances (FACE) Act and the Ku Klux Klan Act, according to the indictment.
Prosecutors allege that Lemon conspired with others “to injure, oppress, threaten, and intimidate multiple persons” in the free exercise of rights protected under U.S. law. The charges relate to the disruption of the church service during the January incident in Minnesota.
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Hey Lemon U seeded this its on U
Whether he gets away with it will depend on if the judge who hears the case is an honest one who follows the law or a leftist who makes decisions based on his political aganda.
Of course Jimmy Kimmel would have this criminal on his show. Worst show ever. Glad he is leaving. Lemon got what he deserved. Wrong on every level