DOJ Drops the Hammer on DON LEMON Over Church Attack!

Quick Overview

The Department of Justice (DOJ) is prosecuting individuals, including Don Lemon, under federal statutes like 18 U.S.C. § 241 (Conspiracy Against Rights) and 18 U.S.C. § 248 (Face Act) for their alleged involvement in coordinating a disruptive takeover-style attack during a religious service at The Cities Church in St. Paul, Minnesota, on January 18, 2026, which resulted in bodily injury to a congregant.

Key Points: The DOJ indictment charges multiple defendants, including Don Renaldo Lemon, with Conspiracy Against Right of Religious Freedom (18 U.S.C. § 241) and violating the Freedom of Access to Clinic Entrances Act (Face Act, 18 U.S.C. § 248(a)(2)(b) and § 248(a)(2)(a)). The alleged conduct involved a coordinated takeover-style attack on The Cities Church service on January 18, 2026, engaging in acts of oppression, intimidation, threats, interference, and physical obstruction. The indictment alleges that one overt act furthering the conspiracy was posting a flyer advertising an anti-ICE action called 'Operation Pullup' on Instagram accounts controlled by a defendant. The conspiracy charge (18 U.S.C. § 241) requires an agreement between two or more persons to commit a crime and at least one overt act; the Face Act violation (18 U.S.C. § 248(a)(2)(a)) involves interfering with religious exercise by force or threat of force. The conduct resulted in bodily injury to one congregant, whose arm was broken while fleeing, suggesting the acts went beyond nonviolent physical obstruction. Penalties for the first offense under the Face Act are a fine or imprisonment not more than one year, but bodily injury resulting from the acts can increase the imprisonment length up to 10 years or life if death results.

Context: The video features attorney Andrew Branca analyzing a federal criminal indictment, specifically focusing on the charges brought against Don Lemon and others related to an alleged disruption at The Cities Church in St. Paul, Minnesota, on January 18, 2026. Branca details the elements of the conspiracy charge (18 U.S.C. § 241) and the specific statute under which the physical interference charge (18 U.S.C. § 248) is brought, noting that the latter is usually associated with abortion clinics.