Federal officials and legal experts are signaling that the demonstrators who disrupted a St. Paul church service on Sunday—including former anchor Don Lemon—could face serious federal prosecution.
Following the chaotic scene at Cities Church, where protesters confronted a pastor who also serves as an Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) official, the Department of Justice (DOJ) confirmed it is reviewing the incident. Harmeet Dhillon, Assistant Attorney General for Civil Rights, stated that her division is investigating the matter and intends to press charges against those involved in the disruption.
The Legal Case
Speaking on “CNN News Central” Tuesday, CNN senior legal analyst Elie Honig suggested the protesters’ actions appear to violate federal statutes designed to protect religious liberty. Honig specifically cited the Freedom of Access to Clinic Entrances (FACE) Act and the Ku Klux Klan Act.
READ: Journalism Or Trespass? Fox News Analyst Torches Don Lemon Over Church ‘Invasion’
While the FACE Act is commonly associated with abortion clinics, it also prohibits the obstruction of houses of worship. The Ku Klux Klan Act criminalizes conspiracies to deprive individuals of their civil rights.
“So, there are actually two laws… one of them being the FACE Act, the other being a civil rights law, which says it is a crime to intentionally interfere with another person’s free exercise of religion,” Honig explained.
Honig noted that while these specific statutes are rarely utilized in this manner, the video evidence presents a compelling case. “The conduct that we see here on its face seems to meet the requirements of those laws,” Honig said. “Is it intentional? Sure. Are they interfering with people’s exercise of free religion? You see it on these videos. They intentionally went into a private church.”
The Don Lemon Controversy
A focal point of the investigation involves former CNN anchor Don Lemon, who entered the building with the protesters. Dhillon suggested during an appearance on “The Benny Johnson Show” that if Lemon had prior knowledge of the group’s plans to disrupt the service, he could be implicated in criminal activity.
READ: From Prime Time To Doing Time? DOJ Weighs ‘KKK Act’ Charges For Don Lemon After Crashing Church
Lemon, who livestreamed the event, has maintained that he was merely “committing an act of journalism.” He defended the protesters’ actions as a constitutional right, comparing the disruption to historical civil rights demonstrations.
“This is the beginning of what’s going to happen here,” Lemon said during the broadcast. “When you violate people’s due process… people get upset and angry. Remember what the civil rights movement was about. The civil rights movement was about these very kinds of protests.”
Sparked by Shooting
The confrontation at the church was allegedly driven by the January 7 shooting of Renee Good. Good was shot by an ICE officer after allegedly striking him with her vehicle.
Protesters inside the church chanted “Justice for Renee Good.” Footage from the incident shows Good starting her car despite orders from officers to exit the vehicle. The video shows her accelerating toward an agent, which prompted the shooting. READ: New Graphic POV Video Released In Deadly Minneapolis ICE Shooting
Federal authorities are currently investigating the incident, including the actions of Good’s partner, Rebecca, who was heard on the video shouting “drive baby, drive” as law enforcement approached the vehicle.
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