There has been extensive excitement, in both directions, over the activist stunt that took place in St. Paul this weekend involving disgraced former CNN journalist Don Lemon. That is to say, social media has been all over his participation, but the conventional media apparatus has been notably muted in addressing what went on Sunday. This event could turn out to be a crucial fulcrum in the way the nation is headed.
As we have reported, an organized group from the Black Lives Matter movement convened on Sunday to bull rush a church service in the city under the guise of protesting ICE actions in Minnesota because a reverend allegedly had connections to the agency. It was a disturbing tableau that was displayed on video, mostly due to the efforts of Don Lemon, who soon began to twist explanations of his involvement.
After initially posting giddy segments where he proclaimed what would transpire, Lemon pledged to film the activities live on his account stream. He joined the mob in the church and even conducted a hectoring interview with a pastor on the scene. It has been a typical practice by this man in a desperate lurch for relevancy, hoping to spark viral interest and resuscitate his flagging career. But very quickly, Don began massaging his narrative.
After initial negative reactions emerged in the wake of his videos, the next issue to be presented was that this mob performance at the church was potentially a violation of the FACE Act, legislation designed to protect access to health clinics and places of worship. Suddenly, Lemon was taking a new approach, trying to suggest he had merely been a journalistic observer with no prior notification of the actions to take place. Small problem for Don: There he was, ahead of the organized trespassing, touting what would take place and who had been behind the planning.
INTENT: The opening to Don Lemon’s insane livestream is an admission of foreknowledge that the group he was in contact with was going to storm a church, based on his prior communications with its leader. pic.twitter.com/g0GVHB4871
— Jorge Bonilla (@BonillaJL) January 19, 2026
And as RedState's Bonchie noted, the woman who orchestrated the church attack acknowledged those people involved in her planning, and Don Lemon was included in her praise.
She just…posted everyone involved.
— Bonchie (@bonchieredstate) January 19, 2026
And then PINNED it to her profile. Incredible. pic.twitter.com/nukgJ5JZgd
What makes Sunday's “protest” consequential going forward is that it was possibly the commission of a federal crime, and the severity of it requires full accountability. Now, Assistant Attorney General for Civil Rights Harmeet Dhillon and the DOJ are looking to take swift action on this group, including Mr. Lemon, and potentially bring charges. Assuming they are justified under the law in question, this is needed because if we see lax enforcement, it promises to encourage more lawlessness. That is not hyperbolic hand-wringing. We see the foundations of potentially severe legal problems in what took place on Sunday.
Minnesota Attorney General Keith Ellison came out and announced that he not only sees no crime committed, but he also encourages more of this type of lawless behavior. That is an amazing stance for a head law enforcement officer to take, and he is not operating alone in this fashion.
Minnesota's Muslim AG to Christians: Church Ambushes Are ‘Just Something You’ve Gotta Live With’
Ellison, the day after, appeared with Don Lemon (possibly sensing the legal wrangling being faced), and made a rather astounding declaration. The state’s top cop proclaimed that the FACE Act is reserved for protecting those seeking “reproductive rights,” in reference to only applying to healthcare clinics. “How they are stretching these laws to people protesting in a church is beyond me," said the attorney general of Minnesota.
MN Attorney General Keith Ellison: "The FACE Act is designed to protect the rights of people seeking reproductive rights... How they are stretching these laws to people protesting in a church is beyond me."
— Greg Price (@greg_price11) January 19, 2026
The FACE Act specifically says that you can't use intimidation to… pic.twitter.com/auEJvZcOQX
The FACE Act specifically says that you can't use intimidation to interfere with one's religious freedom in a place of worship.
Nobody is stretching anything here, Mr. Ellison. The direct content of the legislation stipulates — specifically — that places of worship are included in the protections of the FACE Act. To help out the leading lawman of that state, I’ll provide those very words from the summary of the legislation:
Freedom of Access to Clinic Entrances Act of 1994 - Amends the Federal criminal code to prohibit: (2) intentionally injuring, intimidating, or interfering with, or attempting to injure, intimidate, or interfere, any person by force, threat of force, or physical obstruction exercising or seeking to exercise the First Amendment right of religious freedom at a place of religious worship.
Specifically, 18 U.S.C. §248(a)(2) subjects anyone engaged in the following to criminal penalties, including imprisonment:
by force or threat of force or by physical obstruction, intentionally injures, intimidates or interferes with or attempts to injure, intimidate or interfere with any person lawfully exercising or seeking to exercise the First Amendment right of religious freedom at a place of religious worship....
That this lawman is choosing to ignore the very basic language is beyond telling. Not only is Ellison certainly seeking to protect Lemon and the group who stormed the church, but this is probably due to his foreknowledge of the event. He was seen speaking with Don Lemon the day of the church intrusion, and considering the lines of communication displayed between the two men, it seems very likely the planned event had also been discussed between them on Sunday.
Even when barriers are put in our way, my team and I stay focused on seeking justice and accountability for our communities.
— Keith Ellison (@keithellison) January 18, 2026
Grateful to Don Lemon for being on the ground in Minnesota to help lift up this fight for truth and fairness. pic.twitter.com/AAFxj7Y8a0
And Ellison is not alone in being a lawmaker in the area unconcerned with the lawlessness on display. Investigative reporter Luke Rosiak has discovered that another local political figure was seen among the protest mob, and he was more than just a sympathizer with the activists — he was a participant.
A top staffer for Hennepin County’s Soros-backed prosecutor was among the protesters. Jamael Lundy works as intergovernmental affairs coordinator for Hennepin County Attorney Mary Moriarty, is married to St. Paul City Council member Anika Bowie, and is running for a seat in the state legislature as a Democrat, according to his campaign website.
When we are looking at this level of authoritarian permisiveness towards lawless behavior, the tipping point is not hard to determine. Should Lemon and his activist crew end up avoiding charges over their actions, it will surely lead to a groundswell of more and worse actions from these activist goons.
We are already seeing our legal standards tested daily, including outward defiance of federal authorities in the streets and from political leaders like Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz and Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey, encouraging further defiance of our federal laws. From sanctuary cities to refusing to cooperate with federal agents to then outwardly working against the enforcement of our immigration laws, these people who have been bleating about the erosion of our democracy have been taking a sledgehammer to that very entity.
Now we see lawmakers coming forward to deny the existence of legislation and possibly participating in the violations of the statutes. If this is not addressed swiftly, then a cattle stampede of mob rule is likely to surge through that barn door. These miscreants and Don Lemon need to be held accountable in a very public fashion.
Maybe then our media will get around to covering the illegalities, and the Democrats pushing this behavior will be held in check.
Editor’s Note: Democrat politicians and their radical supporters will do everything they can to interfere with and threaten ICE agents enforcing our immigration laws.
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