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Stephen A. Smith came to the defense of fellow journalist Don Lemon, who was arrested this week.
Lemon was indicted Friday afternoon in Los Angeles on allegations of conspiracy to violate another person’s constitutional rights and alleged violations of the FACE Act.
Lemon’s arrest comes more than a week after he joined a group of anti-ICE protesters who disrupted a church service at Cities Church in St. Paul, Minnesota, where an Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) official is pastor.
The group of protesters chanted “ICE out,” interrupting service, according to video footage.
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Stephen A. Smith and Don Lemon (Getty Images)
Lemon, an independent journalist, said he attended the protest as a journalist and not as a protester. In a video posted to his YouTube channel, Lemon said: “I’m just here taking photos, I’m not part of the group. … I’m a journalist.”
The ESPN host said that since Lemon was present as a member of the press, his arrest violated the First Amendment.
“Whether you like it or not, Don Lemon is a member of the press. Don Lemon has been in journalism for 30 years. Don Lemon worked at CNN for 17 years. And just because you don’t have a specific organization that you work for doesn’t mean the word independence comes. That doesn’t mean your journalism qualifications are taken away,” Smith said. “Not when you’ve been doing it for decades like him.
Don Lemon livestreamed left-wing agitators who stormed St. Paul’s Cities church on suspicion that its pastor had collaborated with U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement. (Dimitrios Kambouris/WireImage)
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“It’s absolutely absurd what he’s going through. I’m also a member of the press. And there’s no way anyone in journalism isn’t supporting Don Lemon today. And that includes anyone on the right. Anyone in journalism.
“I’m not saying it was wise, I’m not saying I would have done it. I’m not saying he should have gone into a church to do interviews and stuff like that for a few minutes. But that doesn’t justify it. You support that, you don’t support the First Amendment. You don’t support freedom of the press.”
Lemon hired Hunter Biden’s lawyer, Father Lowell. Lowell said Friday that Lemon attended the protest as a journalist and not as a protester.
“Don Lemon was arrested by federal agents last night in Los Angeles, where he was covering the Grammy Awards,” Lowell said in a statement.
“Don has been a journalist for 30 years and his constitutionally protected work in Minneapolis is no different than what he has always done.”
Lemon’s arrest comes as Minnesota has become a hot spot for anti-immigration protesters in recent weeks, particularly following the fatal shootings of Renee Good and Alex Pretti.
Don Lemon arrives at THR’s Empowerment in Entertainment Gala at Milk Studios on April 30, 2019 in Los Angeles. (Jordan Strauss/Invision/AP)
President Donald Trump indicated earlier this week that the administration was prepared to “deescalate” tensions in Minnesota, although other details about that process remain unclear.
