Don Lemon Arrested Over MN Protest Reporting

Journalists Don Lemon and Georgia Fort have been arrested by federal agents this morning, in connection with their reporting on a protest that took place inside a St. Paul church earlier this month. Contrary to the disinformation circulating on social media, neither journalist planned nor participated in the protests, but instead reported on it in real time in line with their professional responsibilities. A federal judge previously rejected an application for an arrest warrant for Lemon over the incident.

The following statement is from Chip Gibbons, Policy Director, Defending Rights & Dissent:

Journalists have an important role to play in covering protests. Social movements are often vital parts of our nation’s history and it is essential that they be documented in real time. By covering the protesters and their message, journalists help to inform our public debates, helping Americans get vital information about sides of an issue that otherwise go ignored. And because all too often protests are attacked by police violence, journalists play an important role in checking abuses of the First Amendment.

It is for precisely this reason that we have repeatedly seen journalists covering protests across the United States being subject to brutality, false arrests, and bogus charges. The arrests of Don Lemon and Georgia Fort are clearly part of that shameful practice.

Arresting journalists for engaging in constitutionally protected newsgathering is an affront to our First Amendment. The case of Lemon is especially disturbing, because it is no secret that many in the orbit of the Trump administration have deep animus towards him for reasons that have nothing to do with the events in Minneapolis. It is clear this animus has been an animating factor behind the obsessive fixation on arresting and charging Lemon. Abusing the legal process to stage retaliatory arrests of a journalist is an attack on our democracy. We call on the charges to be dropped and any public officials involved with pushing them to resign from office immediately. 

We also signed on, along with dozens of fellow press freedom and rights organizations, to a statement from the National Association from Black Journalists condemning the arrests. From the statement:

In Minneapolis, Don Lemon was present in a professional capacity to report, not to protest, and he was not alone. Journalists from multiple outlets were also on the ground performing their duty to provide real-time, accurate and contextual reporting. However, efforts to isolate and criminalize Lemon’s work rings the alarm of a broader and deeply troubling threat to press freedom; especially, at a time when transparency and accountability are most essential.

Defending Rights & Dissent is a national civil liberties organization that defends the American people’s right to know and freedom to act through grassroots mobilization, public education, policy expertise, and advocacy journalism.