Who is Don Lemon and what is the FACE Act? What to know after ex-CNN anchor storms Cities Church in Minneapolis | Hindustan Times
Don Lemon has landed in a controversy after he was seen joining a group of protesters who stormed the Cities Church in the Minneapolis-Saint Paul area on Sunday, January 18. As the group sabotaged an ongoing service, the former CNN anchor live-streamed the demonstration.
Who is Don Lemon and what is the FACE Act? What to know after ex-CNN anchor storms Cities Church in Minneapolis (REUTERS/Brendan McDermid) (REUTERS)
Lemon captured anti-ICE protesters storming the church and confronting a pastor who they suspected works as an immigration agent. The protesters were seen rushing into Cities Church and chanting slogans like “Hands Up, Don’t Shoot!” and “ICE OUT” repeatedly.
“They’ve stopped the service [and] a lot of people, a number of people have left,” Lemon reported.
Read More | Anti-ICE Minneapolis protestors threatened with FACE Act action after Cities Church videos emerge
“A surprise effort here, obviously, and the folks here are not happy about it,” he added later.
Lemon said that the demonstrators interrupted the service because they had “found out” the pastor worked for ICE, which prompted them to launch their “clandestine mission.” However, there are no official reports confirming that the pastor is an ICE agent.
Lemon defended the protesters and said they were exercising their Constitutional rights to protest. “This is what the First Amendment is about, the freedom to protest,” he told viewers. “I’m sure people here don’t like it, but protests are not comfortable.”
Meanwhile, according to Assistant Attorney General Harmeet Dhillon, the protesters can get into trouble. He said that a probe is underway, and threatened demonstrators with the FACE Act.
“The @CivilRights is investigating the potential violations of the federal FACE Act by these people desecrating a house of worship and interfering with Christian worshippers,” Dhillon wrote on X, tagging Attorney General Pam Bondi.
Bondi responded to Dhillon’s post, writing, “I have been in constant communication with @AAGDhillon today over these events which @TheJusticeDept is investigating at my direction. Any violation of federal law will be prosecuted.”
What is the FACE Act?
According to the Department of Justice, the FACE Act “prohibits the use or threat of force and physical obstruction that injures, intimidates, or interferes with a person seeking to obtain or provide reproductive health services or to exercise the First Amendment right of religious freedom at a place of religious worship.”
“It also prohibits intentional property damage of a facility providing reproductive health services or a place of religious worship,” the website adds.
FACE also gives the Attorney General the authority to seek injunctive relief, statutory or compensatory damages, and civil penalties against people who engage in activities that violate the act.
Who is Don Lemon?
Lemon, a journalist and TV news anchor, gained prominence after joining CNN’s newsroom in 2006. He notably hosted CNN Tonight from 2018 to 2021 and Don Lemon Tonight from 2021.
Lemon has received various awards for his special news coverage, including three regional Emmy Awards. He was also honored with an Edward R. Murrow award in 2002 for his coverage of the capture of the Washington D.C. area sniper.
Read More | Don Lemon faces serious accusations after Minneapolis anti-ICE protestors storm Cities Church mid-service – Watch
Lemon was born and raised in Baton Rouge, Louisiana. He attended Louisiana State University, and also majored in broadcast journalism at Brooklyn College, earning his Bachelor’s degree. He worked as an assistant for WNYW while attending college in New York, according to TV Insider.
Lemon finished college and worked at stations in Pennsylvania and Missouri, holding various positions, such as investigative journalist and nightly news anchor. He has also worked with NBC News in New York before his stint at CNN.
Lemon and CNN parted ways in April 2023. “Don will forever be a part of the CNN family, and we thank him for his contributions over the past 17 years,” CNN CEO Chris Licht said in a memo to staff at the time. “We wish him well and will be cheering him on in his future endeavors.”
Lemon said at the time that the termination “stunned” him, adding that the management did not have “the decency” to inform him of his firing directly. “At no time was I ever given any indication that I would not be able to continue to do the work I have loved at the network,” he added.
Before his termination, Lemon found himself in the midst of several on-air controversies and reports of alleged instances of misogyny. For instance, he faced backlash after saying during an on-air discussion about Republican presidential candidate Nikki Haley’s proposal that older politicians take competency tests, that 51-year-old Haley “isn’t in her prime.” Lemon stated that a woman is only “considered to be in their prime in 20s and 30s and maybe 40s.”
In a memo later sent to CNN staff, Licht called the comments “unacceptable” and added that he had a “frank” conversation with Lemon, who apologized for his remarks. Lemon even agreed to participate in formal training sessions.
“It is important to me that CNN balances accountability with … fostering a culture in which people can own, learn and grow from their mistakes,” Licht said at the time.
“When I make a mistake, I own it,” Lemon told staff during an editorial meeting. “And I own this one as well.”
A report later published by Variety accused Lemon of misogyny aimed at female coworkers. However, he denied the allegations.
