Former CNN anchor Don Lemon was arrested Thursday night on charges that he violated federal law during a protest at a St. Paul, Minnesota, church, his attorney said.
Lemon was taken into custody by federal agents in Los Angeles, where he was covering the Grammy awards, attorney Abbe Lowell said in a statement. He was indicted on two counts for allegedly conspiring against and interfering with others’ right to exercise their religious freedom in a place of worship, according to a court filing.
“Don has been a journalist for 30 years, and his constitutionally protected work in Minneapolis was no different than what he has always done,” Lowell wrote. “The First Amendment exists to protect journalists whose role it is to shine light on the truth and hold those in power accountable.”