Don Lemon Arrested in L.A., Attorney Calls It an ‘Unprecedented Attack on the First Amendment’

Don Lemon was arrested by federal authorities on Thursday, January 29, his attorney Abbe Lowell said.

The independent news journalist, 59, was apprehended in Los Angeles, where he was covering the Grammy Awards, Lowell said. (The official ceremony will take place Sunday, February 1, at the Crypto.com Arena in Los Angeles.)

Details were not given as to why the former CNN anchor was arrested, but earlier this month, he was called out by politicians after sharing live footage from a Minnesota protest that took place at Cities Church due to a pastor named David Easterwood who allegedly has ties to U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement.

Following the protest, U.S. Department of Justice assistant attorney general Harmeet Dhillon wrote on X (formerly Twitter) that Lemon was put “on notice.”

“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 in a statement to NBC News on Friday, January 30.

“This unprecedented attack on the First Amendment and transparent attempt to distract attention from the many crises facing this administration will not stand,” Lowell added. “Don will fight these charges vigorously and thoroughly in court.”

NBC News reported that three other people who protested at the same church service in St. Paul that Lemon covered were also arrested.

Protests have sprung up across the nation following the deaths of Renee Nicole Good and Alex Pretti at the hands of law enforcement.