The art of journalism will always be protected by the First Amendment. That is something the majority, if not all journalists can agree on. Unfortunately, the Trump administration cannot agree with that statement.
Over the last few days, former CNN news anchor and now independent journalist Don Lemon was arrested after covering an Anti-ICE protest in a church on Jan, 18. The federal government charged Lemon with Count One, “Conspiracy against right of religious freedom at a place of worship”, and Count Two, “injure, intimidate, and interfere with exercise of right of religious freedom at place of worship.” The indictment alleges that Lemon, “Entered the church in a coordinated, takeover style attack and engaged in acts of oppression, intimidation, threats, interference, and physical obstruction.” The document also mentioning that children in attendance “were left to wonder, as one child puts it, if their parents were going to die.”
When watching the uploaded video of the protest, Lemon continued to inform people that he was a journalist, there to speak with protestors as well as members of the church in order to showcase both sides. The claims made by the administration are potentially libelous and insane, we are living in a timeline where journalism is being attacked. If outlets like Fox News can openly spread hate and lies, why can’t people protest and call out something that is affecting millions of Americans? The evidence is clear, ICE is the problem. They continue to threaten, attack, and murder innocent Americans, where is the outrage in that?
This administration only punishes those they do not agree with. Lemon recently went on the air with Jimmy Kimmel where he spoke more about the issue, mentioning after seeing multiple people asking for his arrest, he offered to turn himself in right away. Instead, he received no response and was blindsided and arrested going back to his hotel room. This clearly shows that the administration does not care for “justice”; they want to fear monger the public, using Lemon as an example to intimidate future journalists who want to stand up and call out the wrongs happening in our country.
According to Lemon, the administration went through two judges and an appeals court trying to get the charges filed against him, after continuously being denied, they finally got the go ahead after going through a grand jury. Reporting and informing the public on current happenings in their country is never a crime and this administration needs to realize that.
