Prominent Politicians
Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey (MN-D)
He called the arrest of those who invaded the church a “gross abuse of power.”
Rep. Ilhan Omar (MN-D)
Omar condemned the arrests tied to the Cities Church protest, calling them a “clear violation of the Constitution.” She demanded that Don Lemon and others be released immediately and described the invaders as “lawful protesters.”
Sen. Chuck Schumer (NY-D)
“Once again, the administration is behaving no differently from the police states and authoritarian regimes across history—they’ve arrested a journalist for the crime of doing his job.” He added, “Don Lemon should be released and the frivolous charges against him dropped.”
Rep. Hakeem Jeffries (NY-D)
“The Trump administration’s arrest of Don Lemon and other journalists is a disgraceful affront to the First Amendment and a corrupt weaponization of the criminal justice system.” He opined, “There is zero basis to arrest Don Lemon.”
Gov. Gavin Newsom (CA-D)
“Putin would be proud.”
Rep. Nancy Pelosi (CA-D)
She said Don Lemon has “become the face of the First Amendment.”
Rep. Jasmine Crockett (TX-D)
“This administration has declared open war on the First Amendment.”
Sen. Chris Van Hollen (MD-D)
He condemned Trump for arresting “journalists for doing their jobs.”
Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass (CA-D)
She urged her supporters to “register the seriousness of this assault on democracy.”
Rep. Dan Goldman (NY-D)
“Putin’s America is here. I’m confident Don will prevail, but make no mistake: the First Amendment is under its greatest threat since our founding.”
Rep. Katherine Clark (MA-D)
“A journalist was arrested by Trump’s DOJ for doing his job. This is a blatant attack on our First Amendment.”
Rep. Shontel Brown (OH-D)
“Don Lemon’s work is protected by the First Amendment. This arrest is chilling, outrageous, and wrong. He should be released immediately.”
Rep. Ami Bera (CA-D)
“Don Lemon’s work as a journalist is protected by the First Amendment. His arrest is another chilling example of the Trump administration weaponizing the federal government against its critics. Don must be released immediately.”
Sen. Cory Booker (NJ-D)
“Don Lemon has been on the ground in Minnesota like hundreds of others doing the vital work of covering Trump’s lawlessness and chaos. These charges should be dropped and he should be released.”
Minnesota Attorney General
Keith Ellison (MN-D)
He described the storming of the church as “First Amendment activity.”
Rep. Adelita Grijalva (AZ-D)
She did not find anything appalling about the behavior of the radicals storming the church, arguing “they have the right to go in there,” and as far as she is concerned, “churches have always been an open door.”
Prominent Organizations
ACLU
“These arrests are the latest in a series of attacks by the Trump Administration on the First Amendment’s guarantee of a free press.”
Amnesty International
It demanded the release of Don Lemon, calling his arrest “a critical threat to our human rights.”
Constitutional Accountability Center
It said this was the latest in the Trump administration’s “shocking assaults on the First Amendment.”
Freedom From Religion Foundation
The arrest of Lemon represents “a dangerous escalation of government overreach.” It also said, “It’s also an unconstitutional prioritization of certain pastors and religious institutions over the civil liberties of citizens.”
GLAAD
“The freedom of the press is a cornerstone of American democracy, but that pillar is being shockingly eroded by government intimidation.”
Legal Defense Fund
It charged the Trump administration with “disdain for free and open press.” It said, “This attempt to suppress and intimidate journalists for reporting on facts and events…is an alarming further descent into authoritarianism.”
NAACP
“The NAACP demands the immediate release of Nekima Armstrong and her fellow protesters. The only reason the FBI and DHS arrested them is that they didn’t like what they had to say.”
PEN America
“The arrest of independent journalist Don Lemon is yet another blatant violation of press freedom and the First Amendment.”
