STORY: Former CNN anchor Don Lemon pleaded not guilty on Friday (February 13) in a criminal case stemming from his coverage of a protest at a Minnesota church against President Donald Trump’s immigration crackdown.

Lemon entered the courthouse in St. Paul on Friday afternoon wearing a suit and jacket. On his way in, he clapped his hands and waved to supporters, but did not respond to questions from reporters.

Standing at a podium and flanked by his attorneys, Lemon answered “not guilty” when asked for his plea.

Lemon, now an independent journalist, livestreamed a protest against Trump's deployment of thousands of armed immigration agents into Democratic-governed Minnesota's biggest cities. The protest disrupted a January 18 service at Cities Church in St. Paul.

He was charged with conspiring to deprive others of their civil rights and violating a law that has been used to crack down on demonstrations at abortion clinics but also forbids obstructing access to houses of worship.

The courtroom on Friday was packed with people supporting Lemon and the church protesters, who were also there to be arraigned.

Dozens of Lemon supporters gathered in front of the courthouse for a protest, chanting "drop the charges" and "protect free speech." They held signs with slogans including "Lemon was just doing his job" and "ICE out."

Lemon's lawyer has called the case an attack on First Amendment free speech rights.

Trump has frequently lashed out at the media, stripping journalists of access-granting credentials and suing some news outlets over their coverage of him. The president praised the Justice Department for bringing the charges against Lemon, calling the disruption of the church service a "horrible thing."

Attorney General Pam Bondi said in a January 30 social media video that prosecutors will come after anyone who threatens the "sacred right" to worship freely and safely.

DESCRIPCIÓN DE IMÁGENES

SHOWS: SAINT PAUL, MINNESOTA, UNITED STATES (FEBRUARY 13, 2026) (REUTERS - Access all)

1. FORMER CNN ANCHOR DON LEMON ARRIVING AT COURTHOUSE

2. VARIOUS OF PROTESTERS CHANTING OUTSIDE COURTHOUSE

3. LEMON LEAVING COURTHOUSE

4. (SOUNDBITE) (English) FORMER CNN ANCHOR, DON LEMON, SAYING:

"Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. I wanted to say this isn't just about me. This is about all journalists, especially here in the United States. First off, I'd like to thank everyone again for their support to my colleagues, the countless journalists around the world. The Lemon Nation. My family and my friends. You all have showed up for me in a real way, and I am extremely grateful for that. I feel it. I feel it. I feel it. For more than 30 years, I've been a journalist, and the power and protection of the First Amendment has been the underpinning of my work. The First Amendment, the freedom of the press, the bedrock of our democracy. The events before my arrest and what's happened since, so that people are finally realizing what this administration is all about. The process is the punishment with them. And like all of you here in Minnesota, the great people of Minnesota, I will not be intimidated. I will not back down. I will fight these baseless charges and I will not be silenced. Thank you very much."

5. PROTESTERS HOLDING SIGNS IN SUPPORT OF LEMON

6. SIGN READING (English): "Trump is a dick" / NEXT TO A SEX TOY

7. VARIOUS OF PROTESTERS CHANTING, ''FUCK ICE''

8. PROTESTER HOLDING SIGN READING (English): "LEMON WAS JUST DOING HIS JOB"

9. SOCIAL JUSTICE ACTIVIST NEKIMA LEVY ARMSTRONG LEAVING COURTHOUSE / HOLDING FIST UP IN AIR

10. (SOUNDBITE) (English) SOCIAL JUSTICE ACTIVIST NEKIMA LEVY ARMSTRONG, SAYING:

"Thank you all for being here. You have given us life, because of your resistance to the authoritarianism, fascism and tyranny of the Trump administration. We, the people, have to stand for our rights. We have to stand for the Constitution. We have to stand for our First Amendment rights to freedom of speech, freedom of assembly, and freedom of the press. That's what the founders intended. And today we have the federal government trying to weaponize the Department of Justice in order to silence us, in order to prevent us from speaking the truth. No, that ain't right. They are trying to prevent us from calling out, and manifest injustice."

11. PROTESTERS WITH MEXICAN FLAG

12. PROTESTER TALKING ON LOUDSPEAKER

13. PROTESTERS CHANTING (English): "ICE out now!" / SIGN READING (English): "IMPEACH BONDI, NOEM, MILLER AND TRUMP"