Attorney General Pam Bondi defended arrests tied to a disruption at a Minnesota church, rejecting claims that the detentions violated the First Amendment. She cited federal statutes, including Title 18's Church Arson Prevention Act of 1996, and described the incident as a coordinated infiltration that frightened worshippers and temporarily blocked parents from reaching Sunday school. Former CNN anchor Don Lemon was charged in Los Angeles with conspiracy and alleged FACE Act violations; he says he was reporting, while supporters argue his arrest violated press protections.
Bondi Defends Arrests After Minnesota Church Disruption, Rejects First Amendment Objections in Don Lemon Case
Attorney General Pam Bondi conducts a news conference at the Department of Justice on Dec. 4, 2025.(Getty Images)
Attorney General Pam Bondi on Saturday pushed back against criticism that recent arrests tied to a disruption at a Minnesota church violated First Amendment protections, saying the Justice Department will not tolerate attacks on houses of worship.
"When we say God bless America, we mean it. We're going to protect America, and if you do that in any house of worship in this country, we're going to find you. We're going to indict you, and I'm going to prosecute you," Bondi said on the program with Lara Trump.
Bondi argued that the arrests were aimed at protecting worshippers and pointed to federal statutes—citing Title 18's Church Arson Prevention Act of 1996 and other criminal laws—as tools the government can use to safeguard places of worship.
"You also have a First Amendment right to worship freely and safely. On a Sunday morning, many parishioners feared they were facing a mass shooting. They didn't know what was happening," she said.
What Bondi Says Happened
Bondi described the incident as a coordinated action in which demonstrators reportedly caravaned to the church, entered with worshippers, sat among them and began chanting during the service. She said some parents were briefly unable to reach children in Sunday school, and that congregants scrambled for safety. Bondi also recounted reports of at least one person who was injured and required hospital treatment after slipping while fleeing the building.
"These parishioners were coming in and didn't realize the congregation had already been infiltrated," Bondi said, adding that video showed individuals blocking exits and confronting church leaders. "That's illegal in this country."
Charges And The Press-Protection Question
Former CNN anchor Don Lemon, who now describes himself as an independent journalist, was charged in Los Angeles with conspiring to violate someone's constitutional rights and with alleged violations of the FACE (Freedom of Access to Clinic Entrances) Act. Lemon posted video from the scene and said he was acting as a reporter: "I'm just here photographing, I'm not part of the group… I’m a journalist," he said in a clip on his YouTube channel.
Lemon and his supporters assert the arrest infringes on First Amendment and press protections. Bondi and other officials counter that the state's interest in protecting worshippers and preventing coordinated attacks on houses of worship can justify enforcement actions—particularly when conduct allegedly endangers people or blocks access to safety.
Legal And Public Debate
The case sets up a potential legal clash between claims of journalistic activity and allegations of coordinated disruption that endangered congregants. Legal experts say outcomes may hinge on evidence about participants' intent and actions at the scene, and whether those actions crossed from protected speech into criminal conduct.
Fox News' Ryan Morik contributed to reporting on the incident.
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