Don Lemon defends protesters who stormed Minneapolis church service believing pastor was ‘ICE-affiliated’

Posted For: MugsMalone

Former CNN host Don Lemon defended left-wing protesters who disrupted an evangelical church service in Minneapolis on Sunday, saying their actions were justified after they believed a pastor had ties to Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE).

The disruption occurred amid ongoing unrest in the Minneapolis–St. Paul area tied to opposition against ICE enforcement operations. Tensions escalated following an incident Wednesday in which an ICE agent was ambushed by three illegal immigrants, resulting in one of the suspects being wounded. The unrest also follows a Jan. 7 ICE operation in which agent body camera footage shows ICE fatally shooting Renee Nicole Good during what officials described as a “targeted” enforcement action.

Lemon aired footage of the protest as part of a six-and-a-half-hour livestream, arriving at Cities Church in Minneapolis roughly 40 minutes into the broadcast. In a TikTok post accompanying a clip of his arrival, Lemon wrote, “Everybody has to be willing to sacrifice something to save democracy.”

During the livestream, Lemon narrated as protesters interrupted the church service while chanting “Justice for Renee Good.” Video from the ICE agent involved in the Jan. 7 shooting shows Good remaining in her vehicle despite commands to exit, backing up her car, and then accelerating toward the agent as her girlfriend shouted encouragement. The Justice Department is investigating Good’s girlfriend for allegedly attempting to impede federal law enforcement.

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I just spoke to the Pastor in Minnesota whose church was targeted. Attacks against law enforcement and the intimidation of Christians are being met with the full force of federal law.

If state leaders refuse to act responsibly to prevent lawlessness, this Department of Justice…

— Attorney General Pamela Bondi (@AGPamBondi) January 19, 2026

Lemon described the scene inside the church, noting that protesters surrounded a pastor after one individual spoke during the service. He said protesters believed one of the pastors was affiliated with ICE and framed the disruption as a covert effort to confront that connection.

Defending the protest, Lemon compared the action to tactics used during the civil rights movement, arguing that public disruption is a legitimate response to what he characterized as violations of due process by immigration authorities.

“When you violate people’s rights and don’t follow the Constitution, people get angry,” Lemon said, adding that civil rights protests historically relied on similar methods. He also claimed the Constitution protects the right to protest at any time and said the goal of such actions is to cause disruption and discomfort.

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Assistant Attorney General for Civil Rights Harmeet Dhillon announced Sunday that the Justice Department had opened an investigation into the church incident, tagging Attorney General Pam Bondi, who later said she spoke with the church’s pastor.

White House spokeswoman Abigail Jackson criticized local leadership, saying Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey and Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz had encouraged unrest. She added that the Trump administration would continue enforcing federal law despite the unrest.

Separately, left-wing protesters also targeted a Saturday counter-protest in Minneapolis that supported ICE enforcement operations. The event was led by internet provocateur Jake Lang. Lang reported being stabbed but avoided serious injury due to wearing body armor and later said he was hospitalized for treatment of a head injury.

Editor’s note: This article reflects a correction to the date of the Jan. 7 shooting involving Renee Nicole Good.

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