Pam Bondi: New Arrests in Minnesota Church Storming; Slams Don Lemon’s ‘Act of Journalism’ Defense

Attorney General Pam Bondi on Monday sharply criticized former CNN anchor Don Lemon for calling his presence at a January 18 protest inside a St. Paul, Minnesota, church an "act of journalism." Bondi made the remarks during an appearance on Sean Hannity’s program after authorities announced two additional arrests tied to the disruption, bringing the total charged to nine.

Bondi rejected Lemon’s characterization and warned that invading a worship service is unlawful regardless of one’s profession or media status. "So, anyone with a camera then would be allowed, under his [Lemon’s] theory, to come in and attack a church like that and riot a church on a Sunday morning," she said. "You can't do that in this country. It's illegal, we're going to prosecute you, and you will be held accountable. Doesn't matter if you're a failed journalist with a camera in your hand. You can’t do it."

According to prosecutors, several anti-ICE demonstrators forced their way into a church service in St. Paul to protest a pastor they accused of assisting federal immigration enforcement. Bondi described the episode as an "attack-style" infiltration that caused panic and physical injuries: children were crying, parents were blocked from reaching Sunday school, multiple people slipped on ice, and one woman sustained a serious arm injury that required hospital treatment.

Attorney General Pam Bondi warned protesters in Minnesota about obstructing or attacking federal law enforcement.

"These people committed a crime under the FACE Act, and they will be held accountable," Bondi said, referring to the Freedom of Access to Clinic Entrances (FACE) Act, which federal prosecutors say extends to protecting uninterrupted worship at houses of worship.

Bondi also alleged the protest was coordinated as a "resistance operation," saying organizers met in a parking lot roughly two miles from the church and caravanned to the service. She accused Lemon of helping lead the demonstration and of physically blocking a parishioner from exiting the building. The indictment charges all nine individuals with interfering with others’ freedom to worship under the FACE Act.

Don Lemon has strongly denied participating in criminal activity, saying his presence was journalistic. On Instagram, he pushed back with an expletive-laced post asserting, "I am a journalist through and through and through," and rejecting efforts to silence his reporting.

Bondi framed the arrests as part of a broader Justice Department priority to protect houses of worship. "We live in the United States of America, and you will have the right to worship safely and freely in a house of worship," she said. "Whether it's a church, a synagogue, a temple, a mosque, any house of worship in this country, you will be safe."

The case remains active as prosecutors pursue charges against the nine individuals; both legal and public debate continue over the line between protest, reporting, and illegal interference with worship.