There’s a certain kind of modern theater that insists it’s reporting.
Don Lemon says he was at a Minnesota church on Sunday “as a journalist,” filming as a mob of anti-ICE agitators stormed a service. But the footage and details described tell a different story—one of proximity, participation, and a little too much familiarity. The incident is now under investigation by the Department of Justice.
Lemon was seen on video greeting the organizer of “Operation Pull Up,” Nekima Armstrong, with a kiss on the cheek. Then, as the agitators moved toward the church in St. Paul, Lemon was also captured, acknowledging what was coming—saying he knew they were “gearing up for resistance and protest” at the church.
Don Lemon moved to kiss one of the leaders involved in storming a church, thanking them all.
— The Post Millennial (@TPostMillennial) January 19, 2026
Don Lemon admits to knowing an anti-ICE group was “gearing up for resistance and protest”
— The Post Millennial (@TPostMillennial) January 19, 2026
And he wasn’t just holding a camera.
Lemon was seen handing out donuts and coffee to the agitators at the scene. As he passed them out, one protester thanked him for being on the “front lines” of the incident. Earlier, before the action began, Lemon was also seen with the group telling them, “Thank you for your service.”
Don Lemon distributed coffee and donuts to anti-ICE protesters, who praised him for being "out on the front lines." He later said he was just doing journalism when he joined agitators to storm a church. pic.twitter.com/araFzRaRQK
— Libby Emmons (@libbyemmons) January 19, 2026
Armstrong—described as heavily involved in left-wing activism and claiming to be a former NAACP chapter president in Minnesota—said the storming was called “Operation Pull Up.” She described it as a “clandestine operation,” a tactic in which agitators “show up somewhere that is a key location.”
In this case, that “key location” was a church service.
The DOJ is now investigating potential violations of the FACE Act, a law that prohibits obstruction, injury, or intimidation of people exercising their First Amendment right of religious freedom at a place of worship.
NEW: Assistant AG for Civil Rights at the DOJ Harmeet Dhillon says Don Lemon is "on notice" after he suggested to his viewers it was their "First Amendment" right to storm churches.
The statement comes after a group of far-left extremists stormed Cities Church in MN.
"A house… pic.twitter.com/1wwKW8UOzL
— Collin Rugg (@CollinRugg) January 19, 2026
Online critics, citing Lemon’s visible involvement with the group, have argued he should be prosecuted under the law as well. The agitators, for their part, said they targeted the church because they believed its pastor also works for ICE.
The whole thing is being sold as journalism.
But what it looks like is something else entirely: activism with a press badge taped on top.
