Don Lemon<\/strong> recounted his January arrest during a recent appearance on ABC\u2019s \u201cThe View,\u201d where the famed journalist tearfully shared his experience being taken into custody following coverage of a Minnesota ICE protest.<\/p>\n The host of \u201cThe Don Lemon Show\u201d on YouTube that boasts almost 1.3 million subscribers, sat alongside panelist, former co-worker, and long-time friend Sunny Hostin to debate the incident.<\/p>\n On Thursday, April 2, former CNN anchor Don Lemon paid a visit to \u201cThe View\u201d<\/strong><\/a> and spoke about his experience being arrested in a Los Angeles hotel room days after doing on-the-ground coverage of an ICE protest at a Minnesota church.<\/p>\n \t\t<\/p>\n Lemon was arrested in Los Angeles while on the town to cover the 2026 Grammy Awards, but his legal team attempted to contact the Department of Justice beforehand when word spread that the journalist could be arrested. Nevertheless, Lemon said they were ignored in favor of publicly embarrassing him.\u00a0<\/p>\n \u201cAll they’d to do was [say] \u2018Hey, Mr. Lemon, turn yourself in,\u2019\u201d he said.<\/p>\n Hostin agreed together with his assessment of the DOJ favoring public embarrassment, stating they wanted \u201cto send a message to intimidate and harass.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cI\u2019ve been leaning on Sunny for counsel just as a friend. No legal stuff, but just as a friend,\u201d Lemon said while on the panel, adding the DOJ selected to arrest him despite his willingness to show himself in \u201cbecause they wish to embarrass people.\u201d<\/p>\n The conversation took an emotional turn when Lemon teared up recalling how federal agents taking off a marriage present from his husband was the one way his arrest was known.<\/p>\n \u201cI used to be twiddling with it, [and an agent] was like, \u2018Do you wish me to take that off?\u2019\u201d Lemon said of the diamond bracelet given to him by his husband Tim.\u00a0<\/p>\n \u201cThere was an FBI agent that walked as much as me and said, \u2018I’ll deal with it.\u2019 I said, \u2018Give this to my husband\u2026\u2019 And he took it up. That was the one way that anybody knew that I\u2019d been arrested,\u201d he shared.<\/p>\n While staying on the Beverly Hills Hotel during Grammy weekend, Lemon was taken into custody by greater than two dozen federal agents, from each the FBI and Homeland Security, in keeping with PEOPLE<\/strong><\/a>.<\/p>\n Per the outlet, Lemon was arrested around 11 p.m. local time in Los Angeles on the famed location, when agents showed up at his hotel room door.<\/p>\n Following his arrest, a Department of Homeland Security spokesperson issued a press release to the outlet regarding Lemon\u2019s charges.<\/p>\n \u201cDon Lemon is being charged with 18 USC 241, Conspiracy to Deprive Rights, and 18 USC 248, Violation of the FACE Act, interfering by force of somebody\u2019s First Amendment rights,\u201d the spokesperson said.<\/p>\n The overwhelming response to Lemon\u2019s arrest<\/strong><\/a><\/strong> was generally supportive, and when the variety of agents readily available to arrest him was released, the sentiment included what many consider to be a large overreach.<\/p>\n \u201cThat’s wildly excessive. That\u2019s treating someone like they’ve an assault rifle,\u201d one commenter wrote in response to the PEOPLE details. \u201cTwo dozen heavily armed to arrest one man, very cowardly,\u201d added one other.<\/p>\n On February 13, Lemon appeared in a Minnesota federal court on charges stemming from his coverage of an anti-ICE protest at a neighborhood church, which he was broadcasting live for his online news program.<\/p>\n Based on NBC News<\/strong><\/a>, he stood in front of Magistrate Judge Douglas L. Micko and entered a plea of not guilty on all counts. The judge also told Lemon that he’s \u201cfree to travel unless he were to violate any state or federal laws.\u201d<\/p>\n In the course of the hearing, the prosecutor within the case confirmed that Lemon\u2019s cellphone was seized by authorities on the time of his arrest and a search warrant has since been obtained to analyze its contents.<\/p>\n Abbe Lowell, a member of Lemon\u2019s legal team, said that seizing the cellphone was an motion of possible \u201cover-execution,\u201d per the outlet.<\/p>\n Following his January 29 arrest, Lemon was formally released from custody after a brief court appearance on January 30, per The Hollywood Reporter<\/strong><\/a>. \u201cHe\u2019s committed to fighting this case,\u201d Lemon\u2019s attorney Marilyn Bednarski said on the time.<\/p>\n U.S. District Judge Patricia Donahue allowed Lemon to be released on a no money bond.<\/p>\n Based on the 14-page indictment that was previously unsealed, Lemon \u201cis charged with conspiracy and interfering with the First Amendment rights of worshipers,\u201d per the Associated Press<\/strong><\/a>.<\/p>\n Following his release from custody, Lemon stood outside the courthouse before the media and issued a transient statement.<\/p>\n \u201cI actually have spent my entire profession covering the news. I is not going to stop now. There isn’t any more necessary time than right night to cover the news\u2026I is not going to stop now. I is not going to stop ever. I is not going to be silenced, I stay up for my day in court,\u201d Lemon said.<\/p>\nDon Lemon Tearfully Recounts January 2026 Arrest By Federal Authorities During Visit To \u2018The View\u2019<\/strong><\/h2>\n
Don Lemon Was Previously Arrested By Dozens Of Federal Agents, Which Was Deemed \u2018Wildly Excessive\u2019<\/strong><\/h2>\n
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The Journalist Pled Not Guilty During His February 2026 Arraignment<\/strong><\/h2>\n
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Lemon Initially Spoke Out About The Arrest After His Release From Custody<\/strong><\/h2>\n
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The White House Mocked Lemon\u2019s Arrest On Social Media<\/strong><\/h2>\n
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