Don Lemon's Arrest: Who Is This Bloke, What'd He Do, and is the Left About to Lose It? By Charles Taylor (Florida)

A Spectator article, "Don Lemon's arrest will rally the #Resistance" from spectator.com, is spot on for the drama unfolding. I'll outline who Don Lemon is, the charges, and whether this is firing up the American left to the point of penning angry letters to the White House... or worse, sparking riots. US politics often feels like a bad episode of Neighbours on steroids.

Who Is Don Lemon? (For Aussies Who Might Not Know the Yank Media Circus)

Don Lemon is a 59-year-old American telly journalist, born in Baton Rouge, Louisiana. He's like your Andrew Bolt or Leigh Sales but with a sharper Left-leaning edge and a history of fiery on-air rants. Lemon rose to fame as a CNN anchor from 2014 to 2023, hosting CNN Tonight and specials where he'd grill politicians, especially during the Trump era. He was known for his no-holds-barred style — think calling out what he saw as racism, hypocrisy, or "fake news" from the Right. Aussies might compare him to a more confrontational version of a Q&A panellist who doesn't mince words.

Lemon's openly gay, married to a bloke named Tim Malone, and has been a vocal advocate for LGBTQ+ rights, civil liberties, and anti-Trump causes. He got the boot from CNN in April 2023 amid controversies (like on-air clashes and allegations of misogyny, which he denied), but bounced back as an independent journo. Now he hosts The Don Lemon Show on platforms like YouTube, X (formerly Twitter), and his own site — basically freelancing hard-hitting interviews and commentary. He's got a net worth around $12 million USD (that's about $18 million AUD) from books, gigs, and media deals. In the US, he's a polarising figure: loved by liberals for "speaking truth to power," loathed by conservatives who see him as biased and smug.

Why does this matter to Aussies? Well, US media spills over globally — think how CNN influences your ABC or Sky News. Lemon's been a big voice on issues like immigration and press freedom, which echo debates here about borders and journo protections (remember the AFP raids on ABC?).

What Are the Charges Against Him?

Fast-forward to now (January 2026 in this timeline), and Lemon was arrested late on January 30, 2026, in Los Angeles while covering the Grammy Awards. Federal agents (Homeland Security and FBI) nabbed him in a hotel lobby — pretty dramatic stuff. He was released the next day (January 31) on his own recognizance — no bail needed — after a quick court appearance where he pleaded not guilty.

The charges stem from an anti-ICE (Immigration and Customs Enforcement) protest on January 18, 2026, at Cities Church in St. Paul, Minnesota. Protesters stormed the church during a Sunday service because one of its pastors doubles as an ICE official. They disrupted the worship, chanting against immigration enforcement, a rowdy demo crashing a quiet sermon. Lemon was there as a journalist, livestreaming the chaos on social media. Another journo, Georgia Fort, was filming too and got arrested the same day.

The feds (under Trump's second-term DOJ, led by Attorney General Pam Bondi) hit him with two federal charges:

Conspiracy to deprive rights: Basically, plotting to interfere with people's civil rights — in this case, the congregants' right to religious freedom under the First Amendment.

Violation of the FACE Act: This is the Freedom of Access to Clinic Entrances Act, usually for blocking abortion clinics, but here it's applied to protecting places of worship from interference (though technically FACE is clinic-specific, the docs frame it as similar protections for religious sites).

Prosecutors say Lemon wasn't just observing — he allegedly joined the mob, encouraging the disruption. A grand jury indicted him after a magistrate judge initially rejected charges last week. Lemon's lawyer, Abbe Lowell, calls it bogus: "Don will fight these charges vigorously... This is an attack on journalism." Three others were nabbed too: protesters Trahern Jeen Crews and Jamael Lydell Lundy, plus Fort.

This isn't Lemon's first brush with controversy — he's had lawsuits and on-air blow-ups — but an arrest? That's new territory.

Will This Make the Left Even More Angry? (Stern Letters, Riots, or Just Hot Air?)

Short answer: My oath, it's already got the Left frothing. But riots? Not yet — more like a storm of tweets, statements, and maybe some protests. The Spectator article nails it: "Don Lemon's arrest will rally the #Resistance" (that's the anti-Trump crowd from his first term). The author argues it's a "colossal backfire" for the Right, turning Lemon into a martyr and boosting his profile among liberals who see this as Trump-era authoritarianism redux.

Left-leaning reactions are pouring in:

George Conway (anti-Trump lawyer) called it "textbook fascism — a brazen attempt to silence reporting."

Jim Acosta (fellow ex-CNNer) slammed it as "outrageous... The First Amendment is under attack!"

CNN itself said it raises "profoundly concerning questions" about press freedom.

House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries demanded Lemon's immediate release: "Zero basis."

Civil rights and press groups are up in arms, calling it a "dangerous attack on the First Amendment."

On X, Lefties are framing it as Trump weaponising the DOJ against critics, with some tying it to broader fears of "fascism." One post even linked it to Nicki Minaj (who beefed with Lemon online recently) visiting the White House — conspiracy vibes galore. But the Right? They're cheering: "Serves him right for harassing Christians!" or mocking the Left's "hysteria."

Stern letters to the White House or rioting? It's leaning toward the former so far. No reports of riots, but the outrage is "relentless hysteria" per some critics. Press freedom advocates might organise rallies or petitions, and Lemon himself vowed: "I will not be silenced." If it escalates, think peaceful demos like the women's marches, not full-on chaos. The Left's been "exhausted" by four years of Biden woes without much fuss, but this hits close to home for media types. Watch for more from groups like the ACLU — they could amp it up.

If this blows up further, it could echo yourscandals: elites clashing over rights and accountability. Stay tuned — US politics moves faster than a magpie on a barbie grill!

https://spectator.com/article/don-lemons-arrest-will-rally-the-resistance/