Don Lemon and other defendants plead not guilty in federal St. Paul church protest case

Arraignments move forward in case tied to January disruption at Cities Church

Don Lemon and several co-defendants pleaded not guilty in federal court in St. Paul on Friday, February 13, 2026, in a case stemming from a protest that disrupted a worship service at Cities Church in St. Paul on January 18, 2026. The defendants face federal civil-rights-related charges that prosecutors say apply to interference with religious worship.

The case centers on a demonstration inside the church during services, where protesters chanted and confronted congregants. The protest targeted a church pastor, David Easterwood, who has been publicly identified in connection with Immigration and Customs Enforcement operations in the region. Protesters have described the demonstration as opposition to immigration enforcement and to Easterwood’s role in both ministry and federal immigration work.

Charges cite the FACE Act and an alleged conspiracy

Federal prosecutors have charged a total of nine people in connection with the incident. The charges include allegations of conspiring to interfere with the exercise of the right of religious freedom at a place of worship, along with a charge tied to the Freedom of Access to Clinic Entrances Act of 1994 (FACE Act). While the statute is widely associated with access to reproductive health services, it also contains provisions addressing conduct involving force, threats of force, or physical obstruction that injures, intimidates, or interferes with a person exercising the First Amendment right of religious freedom at a place of worship.

The court proceedings have drawn attention in part because Lemon and another journalist, Georgia Fort, have said they were present to document the events. Lemon has publicly maintained that he was reporting and livestreaming, not participating in the protest.

Defense motions focus on evidence handling and grand jury proceedings

During the February 13 hearing, defense attorneys raised issues related to evidence and procedure, including requests connected to devices seized during the investigation. A judge pressed prosecutors about the status of Lemon’s seized cellphone, with the government indicating work was continuing under a search warrant process.

Defense counsel for Lemon and Fort has also sought access to otherwise confidential grand jury materials, arguing that the indictments warrant closer scrutiny in light of the defendants’ claims that they were acting as journalists. Such requests face a high legal threshold under longstanding rules that generally keep grand jury proceedings secret.

What happens next

Additional arraignments are scheduled in the case, including for Fort and another defendant. The court will next address pretrial motions, evidence disputes, and whether the indictments will proceed as filed.

• Event at issue: January 18, 2026 disruption of services at Cities Church in St. Paul.

• Core legal questions: whether conduct alleged by prosecutors meets federal statutory elements, and how First Amendment protections apply to speech, protest, and newsgathering in a place of worship.

• Procedural next steps: rulings on pretrial motions, scheduling orders, and further hearings on evidence and discovery.

In court, all defendants arraigned on February 13 entered not-guilty pleas. The case remains in pretrial litigation.