Journalist Don Lemon was arrested at the Beverly Hilton on Jan. 29. (photo courtesy of the L.A. Conservancy)

Independent journalist Don Lemon was arrested by federal agents in Beverly Hills on Jan. 29 on charges of allegedly violating federal civil rights laws while covering a protest at a Minnesota church on Jan. 18. Lemon, a former CNN anchor, has maintained that his actions were protected under the First Amendment. His arrest and subsequent federal charges have sparked outrage among local leaders, journalists and free speech advocates.

The Department of Justice indictment against Lemon alleges that he participated in a “coordinated takeover-style attack” of Cities Church in St. Paul, where protesters interrupted a service. The church’s pastor is an Immigration and Customs Enforcement official. During the demonstration, Lemon followed protesters into the church and interviewed several protesters and congregants. The Trump administration has accused Lemon, along with independent journalist Georgia Fort and several protesters, of interfering with congregants’ rights to worship freely.

“Don Lemon and eight others have now been charged in a single indictment because you cannot attack – and that’s what it was, an attack style on a house of worship – can’t do it,” U.S. Attorney General Pam Bondi said on Fox News.

Lemon appeared on Jimmy Kimmel Live on Feb. 2 and described his arrest at the Beverly Hilton, where he was staying to cover the Grammys.

“I got back to the hotel … I was walking up to the room and I pressed the elevator button and all of a sudden I feel myself being jostled and people trying to grab me and put me in handcuffs,” Lemon said. “I said, ‘What are you doing here?’ They said, ‘We came to arrest you,’ and I said ‘Who are you?’ And then finally they identified themselves, and I said, ‘If you are who you are, then where’s the warrant?’ and they didn’t have a warrant, so they had to wait for someone from outside, an FBI guy, to come in to show me a warrant on a cell phone.”

Although Lemon was arrested in Beverly Hills, the Beverly Hills Police Department did not participate or assist in the arrest.

“We did not have any part in the recent arrest,” BHPD Lt. Kevin Orth said. He added that the department did not have any prior knowledge of the arrest.

Lemon made his initial court appearance on Jan. 30 in United States District Court in Los Angeles, where a crowd gathered outside to express support for the journalist. U.S. Magistrate Judge Patricia Donahue ordered Lemon to be released on his own recognizance. Lemon’s arraignment is scheduled for Feb. 9 in Minneapolis.

The arrest of Lemon sparked outrage among journalists and free speech advocates across the country.

“Journalists covering demonstrations play a critical role in documenting events of public interest, ensuring transparency and holding institutions accountable – especially during moments of heightened tension,” said Chris R. Vaccaro, national president of the Society of Professional Journalists. “By arresting these journalists, the administration is signaling that journalists are unworthy of equal protection under the law. By egregiously flouting the constitution, the Trump administration is threatening speech rights more broadly. If they can arrest reporters for doing their jobs, government officials can arrest anyone speaking in public in ways that the government dislikes, regardless of a person’s motives or reasons for speaking.”

“The federal government prosecuting journalists for their reporting is extremely concerning, made more so by its continued pursuit of these charges after a magistrate judge refused to sign-off on the arrest warrant and over the reported objections of career prosecutors,” said Esha Bhandari, director of the ACLU Speech, Privacy and Technology Project. “This will send a chilling message to other journalists reporting on the administration’s actions, and should be understood in the context of the government’s broader crackdown on freedom of the press.”

Leaders across Los Angeles and California also denounced the arrest.

“The arrest of journalists for going into a church in the course of reporting is shocking enough, but what’s even more alarming is that it’s no secret that Don Lemon is a Trump critic,” L.A. Mayor Karen Bass said. “Let me be very clear – President Trump is not deescalating anything after the fatal shootings of U.S. citizens by federal agents. In fact, the arrest of Don Lemon and Georgia Fort demonstrates quite the opposite – he is escalating. First, Trump’s agents shoot and kill people exercising their First Amendment rights, and now we’re arresting journalists going into a church. It’s an egregious assault on constitutionally protected First Amendment rights.”

“Putin would be proud,” Gov. Gavin Newsom wrote on social media.