Federal Arraignments Underway in St. Paul as Don Lemon and Protesters Face Civil Rights Charges After Minnesota Church Disruption

St. Paul, Minnesota — Friday, February 13, 2026 — Former CNN anchor Don Lemon and a group of demonstrators are in federal court today in Minneapolis as prosecutors formally arraign them on charges stemming from a controversial protest that disrupted worship services at Cities Church in St. Paul in January.

Lemon, now an independent journalist, pleaded not guilty in federal court Friday afternoon to a civil rights conspiracy charge and related alleged violations of the Freedom of Access to Clinic Entrances (FACE) Act, which federal prosecutors say was used to obstruct worship and deprive congregants of their constitutional rights. 

Also appearing today are local activists including William Kelly, civil rights attorney Nekima Levy Armstrong, and others named in the indictment. Together, they are charged with conspiracy to deprive religious freedom rights and interfering with the exercise of religious worship at a place of worship in connection with the storming of the church during a service on January 18. 

Protest, Charges, and Legal Arguments

The protest erupted after a group of anti‑Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) activists entered Cities Church — a Southern Baptist congregation — chanting slogans and disrupting the scheduled worship service. Activists targeted the church over allegations that one of its pastors also held a role with ICE, a claim that political and religious leaders have strongly disputed. 

Federal authorities subsequently arrested several of the demonstrators days later. William Kelly, who had publicly taunted law enforcement and challenged U.S. Attorney General Pam Bondi to detain him, was taken into custody on conspiracy charges and is now among those arraigned. 

Prosecutors allege the defendants used force, threat of force, and obstruction to interfere with the worshippers’ rights — invoking statutes that are rarely applied to religious services but typically used to protect access to healthcare clinics. 

Lemon’s Defense: Journalism or Participation?

Don Lemon’s role is among the most contested elements of the case. Federal prosecutors argue that Lemon was more than an observer, alleging he participated in the events inside the church and helped amplify the protest. But Lemon and his legal team — including prominent attorney Abbe David Lowell and former federal prosecutor Joe Thompson — emphatically maintain that he was on assignment as a journalist covering the story, not participating in the protest itself. 

In court today, Lemon reiterated his innocence, entering a not‑guilty plea and signaling that his defense will raise robust First Amendment objections, contending that press freedom protects his reporting activities. Outside the courthouse, crowds of supporters gathered, with some chanting slogans in support of press rights. 

Legal analysts say that how courts interpret the role of journalists in fast‑moving protest contexts — especially where reporting and activism appear to intersect — could have broader implications for press freedom and federal criminal law. 

Reactions From Faith Leaders and the Public

The response to the events and the charges has been sharply divided. Religious leaders from several Christian organizations have condemned the January protest as an unwarranted attack on a place of worship and demanded prompt action from law enforcement and the Justice Department to defend congregational rights. 

At the same time, some advocacy groups and civil liberties organizations have expressed concern about the government’s use of the FACE Act in this context, warning that applying statutes designed for clinic access to church protests could chill free speech and protest rights. 

Who Is William Kelly and Co‑Defendants

Among those arraigned alongside Lemon is William Kelly, an outspoken critic of federal immigration enforcement whose involvement at the church — including confrontational behavior recorded on video — drew significant attention in the weeks before his arrest. Prosecutors say Kelly helped organize the protest and played a central role in the disruption, leading to the conspiracy charge. 

Civil rights leader Nekima Levy Armstrong, also facing charges, has framed her actions as a moral protest against practices she believes undermine civil liberties; her case has been complicated by broader online and political controversies surrounding the imagery and rhetoric used in reaction to her arrest. 

Two journalists — including Georgia Fort, who documented the protest — are also charged and expected to enter pleas in separate arraignments next week. 

What Happens Next?

Today’s arraignments mark just the opening phase of what legal observers expect to be protracted litigation. Motions over constitutional defenses, evidentiary issues, and possible challenges to the applicability of the FACE Act are likely to feature heavily in the coming weeks and months.

With national attention focused on the intersection of protest rights, journalism, and religious liberty, the case could offer precedent‑setting interpretations of federal civil rights law.