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Don Lemon quotes the Bible in response to arrest for Minnesota church storming
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Former CNN host Don Lemon cast himself as a persecuted journalist in a Substack post Saturday, quoting the Bible while responding to his arrest last month on federal charges stemming from an anti-ICE protest at a Minnesota church.
Lemon, who was released without bail Friday, says he was acting as a journalist, while prosecutors allege he coordinated with activists who disrupted services at Cities Church.
“There is a passage in scripture that says, ‘The truth shall set you free,’” Lemon wrote, quoting John 8:32. “But it does not say it will protect you from cages. It does not say it will spare you the consequences of seeing too clearly. It does not say it will make the powerful comfortable.”
Lemon said he learned that lesson “not from theology, but from experience,” writing that “the government decided that my work as a journalist was not protected speech, but punishable.”
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Don Lemon has told Fox News Digital that he stands by his reporting. (Don Lemon/YouTube)
Throughout the post, Lemon likened his arrest to historic efforts to silence journalists and civil rights figures, writing that press freedom only exists so long as it does not challenge those in power.
Lemon wrote that America “loves the idea of a free press,” but only so long as journalism does not “disturb comfort” or “expose what power would rather conceal,” saying the First Amendment exists to protect accountability, not convenience.
Prosecutors charged Lemon with conspiracy to deprive rights and a FACE Act violation stemming from his involvement in an anti-ICE protest that disrupted church services in Minnesota.
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Don Lemon livestreamed left-wing agitators who stormed St. Paul’s Cities Church under the suspicion that its pastor had collaborated with U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE). (Arturo Holmes/Getty Images)
Lemon drew attention earlier this month after livestreaming activists who entered St. Paul’s Cities Church during Sunday services, and has said he was present in a journalistic capacity, while the indictment alleges he coordinated with protest organizers prior to their arrival.
According to a federal affidavit dated Jan. 20, parishioners told investigators that agitators blocked stairwells and aisles inside the church, preventing parents from reaching children in a downstairs childcare area and making it difficult for worshipers to leave the sanctuary.
One parishioner reported fearing the agitators may have been armed after hearing shouting that sounded like the word “shoot.”
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Parishioners at Cities Church reported agitators terrorizing them and yelling in their faces. (Stephen Maturen/Getty Images)
Other churchgoers described agitators yelling in the faces of parishioners, including women and young children, causing some children to cry.
One woman fell and was injured as worshipers fled through a side exit, according to the affidavit.
The affidavit alleges the group entered the church in a coordinated manner, disrupted the service and intimidated parishioners, forcing it to be cut short.
During the incident, video reviewed by investigators shows a church pastor asking one individual to leave the building, saying he needed to “take care of my church and my family.”
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The pastor appeared visibly distressed as activists continued to confront him, according to the affidavit.
Despite those allegations, Lemon compared his arrest to the treatment of civil rights leaders and journalists he said were punished for challenging power, citing Malcolm X, Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. and James Baldwin.
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The National Weather Service has teams of storm surveryors in the field April 18 investigating several reports of severe storms and tornado touch downs across eastern Iowa, northwest Illinois and northeast Missouri.
According to the weather service’s website, windgusts of up to 60 to 70 mph along with teacup-sized hail and several tornadoes were reported April 17.
Many homes and outbuildings were damaged, trees were uprooted and power lines were downed in Lena, Illinois, where the most significant damage occurred, the site pointed out.
Very strong winds also were reported near Washington, Iowa, and Colmar, Illinois, where several outbuildings and grain bins were destroyed.
The weather service received reports of confirmed and possible tornadoes in the areas of Lena, Pecatonica, Shirland, Rockton, Roscoe and Capron.
The teams will be assessing damage this weekend into next week along with county emergency management teams to determine what types of storms occurred and their paths.
Dozens of power outages were reported, as well.
As of the afternoon of April 18, ComEd was reporting 85 active power outages across northern Illinois, down from 241 on April 17, and 6,751 customers affected, down from more than 18,000.
The bulk of those outages and the most customers impacted are concentrated in Jo Daviess and Stephenson counties.
The start of training camp officially marks the beginning of the 2026 WNBA season. The Indiana Fever were fairly quiet during free agency after successfully retaining most of their top-tier talent such as Kelsey Mitchell, Aliyah Boston, Lexie Hull, and Sophie Cunningham. Though they still managed to add a few solid pieces to further stack their depth.
Last season the Fever made an impressive postseason run despite facing multiple injuries, particularly in the backcourt. The front office clearly prioritized guard depth as a result, as well as looking to upgrade at the power forward position.
The Fever brass aimed to shore up any defensive deficiencies on the perimeter in the draft by adding guard Raven Johnson out of South Carolina, who brings a reputation as a defensive stopper. As for bolstering the frontcourt, to play alongside, and even provide some relief for Aliyah Boston, newly acquired 6-foot-4 Monique Billings and veteran forward Myisha Hines-Allen fit the bill. Indiana also picked up another solid player in Tyasha Harris at the guard position to provide backcourt depth and relieve pressure on Kelsey Mitchell and Caitlin Clark.
As for the starting lineup, here’s who the Indiana Fever are projected to run with:
Caitlin Clark, Guard
This comes as no surprise, but Clark will look to lead the way for the Fever in one of the two starting guard roles. Coming off of a season riddled with injuries, her return is highly anticipated. In true Clark fashion, she showed positive signs of production during the FIBA World Cup qualifiers where she led Team USA in assists and points.
Clark is expected to return to form in 2026. She provides speed in transition, is a deep threat from beyond the arc, and is elite at setting up her teammates. The only thing standing in the way of a productive season for Clark is remaining healthy for the duration of the season.
Kelsey Mitchell, Guard
Re-signing Kelsey Mitchell was yet again the main offseason priority for the Fever and they did just that. Coming off of a career year, Mitchell will be a key component in the Fever reaching a championship. She averaged 20.2 points per game last season and carried the team on her back during Clark’s absence.
As a premier scoring guard, she complements Clark’s game well and when the two are on the floor together, they’re easily the most explosive backcourt in the entire WNBA. Mitchell has exceptional speed and is a gifted isolation scorer. Her ability to quickly cut and drive to the rim makes her a nightmare for opposing teams to defend and contributed to her earning a 2025 All-WNBA First Team selection.
Mitchell is one of the most dangerous clutch situation players in the league making her a stellar weapon for the Fever.
Lexie Hull, Forward
Entering her fifth WNBA season, all with the Fever, no other player on the roster has grown as much as Lexie Hull. Her steady development has made her a key piece and earned her a starting role in the rotation as last season progressed. Listed as a guard, her defense and versatility has allowed her to frequently fill the role of small forward. She impacts the game on both ends of the floor and saw career highs in 2025 in points per game (7.2), rebounds per game (4.3), assists per game (1.8) and steals per game (1.2).
Her impactful instincts even contributed to her being near the top of the WNBA in offensive fouls drawn last season. With her high-percentage shooting from beyond the arc, solid perimeter defense, and elite hustle, Hull fills the wing role nicely for the Fever.
Monique Billings, Forward
Heading into the 2026 season, the Fever desperately needed to add talented size up front to complement Aliyah Boston’s skill set. With the departure of veteran Natasha Howard in free agency, the Fever acquired their likely next starting power forward in Monique Billings.
Billings is a strong finisher around the basket, has soft hands, runs the floor well, and is adept at screening for guards. She can also defend multiple positions and is a more than capable rebounder. Billings checks all of the boxes of a needed component for Indiana.
Aliyah Boston, Center
After making WNBA history with a record contract, Aliyah Boston looks to continue to elevate her game. Boston has quickly ascended as one of the league’s biggest threats in the middle of the floor. What makes this season even more promising for Boston is the dominant performances she put on display during Unrivaled.
She’s in peak physical shape, faster and has worked on her three-point shooting – an area she committed herself to improving on in the offseason. The three-time All-Star has already established herself as a force on the block due to her combination of size and footwork. Her step-through moves have increased her efficiency in scoring under the basket.
Boston seems poised to have the best season of her career in 2026.
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Five people were shot and injured at an Iowa City pedestrian mall near the University of Iowa campus overnight, police said Sunday. Students from the university were among the injured, according to school officials.
The Iowa City Police Department responded to a report of a large fight in the 100 Block of East College Street at 1:46 a.m. early Sunday, the department said in a news release. Arriving officers heard gunfire.
Multiple victims were hospitalized, police said. Police confirmed to CBS News that one person was in critical condition, while the other four victims are stable.
University of Iowa President Barb Wilson said in a statement that three students were among those shot. None of the victims has been publicly identified.
No arrests have been made, and the investigation is ongoing. Police said they are seeking information about five “persons of interest associated with this shooting.” The university also shared the request for information.
The pedestrian mall was closed for several hours and reopened Sunday afternoon.
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