Former Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene has come out in defense of the arrest of former CNN host Don Lemon, who was charged in connection to his coverage of an anti-Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) protest that disrupted a Minnesota church service.
During an appearance on “Real Time with Bill Maher,” Greene expressed her disapproval of Lemon’s involvement in the incident, stating that she does not consider it to be journalism protected by the First Amendment. Federal agents arrested Lemon on charges of conspiracy to deprive civil rights and interfering with religious freedom after he livestreamed left-wing agitators storming St. Paul’s Cities Church on Jan. 18.
On the late-night panel, Greene found herself as the sole defender of Lemon’s arrest, while Maher questioned the necessity of such action. Greene cited the federal law protecting religious exercise at places of worship as the basis for Lemon’s arrest, arguing that he violated the FACE Act by disrupting the church’s worship and later comparing them to White supremacists.
Despite Greene’s stance, her fellow panelist Joe Scarborough saw no issue with Lemon being “aggressive” in his reporting, suggesting that there should be a distinction between journalists asking questions and activists disrupting events. Scarborough also speculated that Lemon’s arrest was meant to intimidate other journalists, attributing it to the Trump administration’s actions.
In response to the controversy, Lemon addressed the situation on a podcast, attributing the targeting of his coverage to his identity as a gay, Black man with a platform. He criticized the “racist, bigoted homophobes” who singled him out for covering the protest at Cities Church, highlighting the divisive nature of such actions.
Lemon was released without bond and is expected to appear in federal court in Minneapolis on Feb. 9 to address the charges brought against him. The incident has sparked a debate surrounding the boundaries of journalism, activism, and the protection of religious freedom in the context of media coverage.
