Justice Department's Civil Rights Chief Vows Charges Against Protesters at Anti-ICE Church Rally Amid Criticism of CNN Journalist Don Lemon's Coverage
The Justice Department has pledged to pursue charges against individuals involved in a protest at a church in St. Paul, Minnesota, which was attended by protesters opposed to Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE). Assistant Attorney General Harmeet Dhillon emphasized that her department will take action to prevent similar incidents from happening in the future.
In an interview with conservative influencer Benny Johnson, Dhillon expressed her frustration with CNN journalist Don Lemon's coverage of the event. She accused Lemon of being embedded within the protest and using his reporting as a shield to participate in what she perceived as a "criminal conspiracy." Dhillon stated that Lemon had previously acknowledged his involvement in the protest, which further fueled her criticism.
While Lemon has maintained that he was simply covering the story as a journalist, Dhillon's comments have sparked debate about the role of media in protests and the limits of First Amendment protections. The Justice Department is investigating potential violations of federal law under the Freedom of Access to Clinic Entrances Act (FACE) and the Enforcement Act of 1871, which could lead to charges against protesters.
The protest was held at Cities Church in response to the killing of Renee Nicole Good by an ICE officer earlier this month. Tensions have been high in the aftermath of her death, with Minneapolis officials calling for the removal of ICE personnel from the area. President Donald Trump has threatened to invoke the Insurrection Act to deploy troops to Minnesota, but it remains unclear whether he will actually do so.
Dhillon's comments on Lemon's coverage and the Justice Department's intentions have raised concerns about the potential erosion of civil liberties and the dangers of conflating journalism with participation in protests. The incident highlights the complex relationship between media, politics, and social movements, and underscores the need for clear guidelines and protections for both journalists and protesters.
As the situation continues to unfold, it remains to be seen how the Justice Department will proceed with its investigation and whether charges will ultimately be filed against those involved in the protest.
The Justice Department has pledged to pursue charges against individuals involved in a protest at a church in St. Paul, Minnesota, which was attended by protesters opposed to Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE). Assistant Attorney General Harmeet Dhillon emphasized that her department will take action to prevent similar incidents from happening in the future.
In an interview with conservative influencer Benny Johnson, Dhillon expressed her frustration with CNN journalist Don Lemon's coverage of the event. She accused Lemon of being embedded within the protest and using his reporting as a shield to participate in what she perceived as a "criminal conspiracy." Dhillon stated that Lemon had previously acknowledged his involvement in the protest, which further fueled her criticism.
While Lemon has maintained that he was simply covering the story as a journalist, Dhillon's comments have sparked debate about the role of media in protests and the limits of First Amendment protections. The Justice Department is investigating potential violations of federal law under the Freedom of Access to Clinic Entrances Act (FACE) and the Enforcement Act of 1871, which could lead to charges against protesters.
The protest was held at Cities Church in response to the killing of Renee Nicole Good by an ICE officer earlier this month. Tensions have been high in the aftermath of her death, with Minneapolis officials calling for the removal of ICE personnel from the area. President Donald Trump has threatened to invoke the Insurrection Act to deploy troops to Minnesota, but it remains unclear whether he will actually do so.
Dhillon's comments on Lemon's coverage and the Justice Department's intentions have raised concerns about the potential erosion of civil liberties and the dangers of conflating journalism with participation in protests. The incident highlights the complex relationship between media, politics, and social movements, and underscores the need for clear guidelines and protections for both journalists and protesters.
As the situation continues to unfold, it remains to be seen how the Justice Department will proceed with its investigation and whether charges will ultimately be filed against those involved in the protest.
I'm kinda surprised that the Justice Department is going after people who were just protesting against ICE at a church rally. Don't they know that peaceful protests are, like, a fundamental right or something? 
And what's with this whole "embedded" thing? Is it really a crime to be in the same place as someone you're reporting on? I mean, I've seen CNN journalists cover protests before and never thought twice about it. 
And what's up with the President threatening to deploy troops if things get out of hand? Is that really going to happen? 
the justice department is literally going after people for exercising their right to free speech at a protest ... like what's next? charging ppl for wearing armbands at a march or something? 
i remember when protesters could express themselves without being harassed by the authorities, and now it feels like we're living in some kinda dystopian novel. 
and don't even get me started on don lemon - dude was just doing his job as a journalist, but apparently that's not good enough for the justice department. 
it's crazy how ppl can be so quick to conflate journalism with participation in protests, like they're not two different things at all. 
. But at the same time, I don't think it's cool that she's making a big deal about this when there are actual crimes being committed by ICE... like, Renee Nicole Good's death is super serious stuff 
.
The Justice Department needs to focus on enforcing laws that protect everyone's rights, not just some.
anyway, can someone explain me how FACE and 1871 laws work? i feel like im getting all confused about this whole thing 
. Don Lemon's reporting was straight-up journalism - he was just trying to tell people what was going down at that protest 
. But at the same time, I get why Harmeet Dhillon is upset - safety should be everyone's priority, and if someone's gonna stir up trouble, they gotta face the consequences 
. The Justice Dept's threat of charges against protesters at a peaceful rally feels like a super heavy-handed move to me 
. Can't we find a way to balance civil liberties with keeping communities safe? 
. It's like they're trying to create a chilling effect where people don't want to speak out because they're afraid of being charged with a crime.
. But it's clear from the reporting that he was just trying to cover the story in a fair and balanced way.
. It's not that simple, but I think we need to be having this conversation because it's becoming more and more common for law enforcement to target protesters who are exercising their rights.
. We need to make sure that everyone can speak out without fear of retribution, whether it's at a protest or just in their daily lives 
.
... I mean, I get that everyone has their own opinions on what's happening, but it feels like they're taking a hardline stance against protesters who are trying to make their voices heard. Don't get me wrong, I think CNN journalist Don Lemon should have been more careful with his coverage - we don't need any more blurred lines between reporting and participating in protests 
. Can't we find a way to balance free speech with public safety? 
The lines between journalism and participation in protests are already blurry, but this whole thing is getting super muddled 
.
.
. It's just a peaceful protest at a church, what's the harm? 
And what's with the ICE thing, can't we just have a convo about it without gettin' all charged up 
? 
. Can't we find a way to express ourselves without puttin' each other in jail? 
