ST PAUL, United States: Former CNN anchor Don Lemon pleaded not responsible on Friday (Feb 13) to federal civil rights expenses stemming from his coverage of an immigration protest in Minnesota.
Lemon, now an impartial journalist, was amongst reporters who coated a protest final month at a St. Paul church the place an Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) official is a pastor.
Lemon, one other reporter and 7 different individuals are accused of conspiring towards the appropriate to non secular freedom and with interfering with the appropriate to train spiritual freedom at a spot of worship.
Lemon, who livestreamed the church protest, pleaded not responsible to the costs throughout a short look in a federal courtroom in St. Paul, the dual metropolis of Minneapolis.
Chatting with reporters afterwards, Lemon stated the costs are an assault on the First Modification to the US Structure, which ensures freedom of speech and of the press.
“This is not nearly me,” Lemon stated. “That is about all journalists, particularly right here in the USA.”
“For greater than 30 years I have been a journalist and the facility and safety of the First Modification has been the underpinning of my work,” he stated.
“I can’t be intimidated. I can’t again down. I’ll combat these baseless expenses and I can’t be silenced,” Lemon stated.
