Former Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene defended former CNN host Don Lemon’s arrest Friday for covering an anti-Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) protest that disrupted church services in Minnesota.

“I don’t think that’s journalism. That’s not the First Amendment,” Greene said of Lemon’s participation in “Real Time vs. Bill Maher“.

on Friday, Federal agents arrest Lemon and charged him with civil rights crimes, including conspiracy to deprive civil rights and interfere with religious freedom.

Lemon live-streamed video of the Jan. 18 attack on a St. Paul city church by left-wing agitators who suspected the church’s pastor of working with ICE.

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Don Lemon speaks to the media after a hearing at the Edward R. Roybal Federal Court in Los Angeles on January 30, 2026. (Patrick T. Fallon/AFP via Getty Images)

On HBO’s late-night panel, Green appeared to be Lemon’s sole defense in his arrest.

“It’s not good to arrest (Lemmon),” Maher said.

The former congresswoman pushed back on Maher’s argument, citing federal laws that protect religious activities in places of worship.

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“Well, I would say he violated the FACE Act,” Greene countered. “He walked into a church, disrupted their worship, and then compared them to white supremacists in interviews.”

“This is not journalism,” Greene asserted. “this is activism“.

“But is this worthy of arrest?” Maher asked.

Greene went on to argue that Lemon worked with “activists” to “harass people” in the middle of the church, causing children to cry.

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Anti-ICE agitators targeted St. Paul’s City Church on Sunday, shouting at churchgoers during services. City Church pastor Jonathan Parnell condemned the agitators in a statement on Tuesday. (Facebook/DawokeFarmer2)

Meanwhile, Greene’s panelists co-hosted with MS NOW Joe Scarborough Lemon didn’t offer any criticism of the “aggressive” behavior in his reporting.

“I think there has to be some kind of difference between if someone goes in and says, ‘I’m not with them, can I ask you some questions?’

Don Lemon detained for participating in Minnesota church live-streamed protest

“Because you’re going to blend into the war, you’re going to blend into the protests,” Scarborough continued.

He went on to claim that the Trump administration arrested Lemon to “scare” other journalists.

Don Lemon continues to act defiant as a federal district judge on Thursday dismissed the Justice Department’s charges against him. (Don Lemon Show/Screenshot)

On January 19, Lemon explained to his team how he became the “face” of anti-ICE protests in Minnesota.

“My producer said, ‘Don, you’re a gay black man in America. You have a platform, and you’re the most famous,'” Lemon said on Jennifer Welch’s “I’ve Got It” podcast.

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He went on to blast accusations of “racist, bigoted homophobes” leveled at him after covering protests at a city church.

“Of course you’re going to be the person they single out and they’re going to make headlines because it fits their base, which is filled with racist, bigoted homophobes like nicki minajBy the way,” Lemon added.

The former CNN host was released without bail and is scheduled to appear in federal court in Minneapolis on February 9.