The scene in St. Paul was ugly but unmistakable: left-wing agitators burst into a church service to disrupt worship and chant about the death of Renée Good, and former CNN anchor Don Lemon was livestreaming the chaos as it unfolded. Locals and congregants were shocked, video of the incident went viral, and federal authorities moved quickly to investigate what many saw as an assault on religious liberty and public order.
The Justice Department even sought to bring charges tied to the disruption, and for a moment the Left’s favorite former anchor looked like he might face consequences for being in the middle of it. A federal magistrate, however, refused to approve criminal charges against Lemon, concluding there was insufficient probable cause to so label his presence — a ruling that only highlights how messy the line between journalism and activism has become.
President Trump didn’t let the matter slide into the maw of media excuses; he publicly criticized Lemon’s conduct and urged DHS and ICE to publicize the arrests and enforcement actions tied to the protest. That blunt, no-nonsense response reminded the country that disruptions of worship and intimidation of congregations are not political theater to be defended by cable pundits, they’re crimes to be stopped and reported.
It’s worth remembering what set this off: the fatal shooting of Renée Good by an ICE officer in Minneapolis, which inflamed passions and prompted lawful calls for accountability. Even so, invading a sanctuary during a service — cameras rolling while parishioners and children were present — is indefensible, and conservatives are right to call out the double standard when the same media that sanctifies protests suddenly discovers boundaries only when their friends cross them.
Don Lemon insists he was “reporting,” and he posted footage of himself inside the church — but the footage also shows him following and amplifying a coordinated action rather than neutrally observing it. Americans know the difference between journalism and activism, and too many high-profile media figures have abandoned even the pretense of neutrality to become partisans who manufacture chaos for clicks and clout.
Federal prosecutors did arrest organizers tied to the disruption, and Attorney General appointees in the administration were right to treat the incident as more than a viral stunt; the FACE Act exists to protect houses of worship for a reason. If the Left wants consequences for what they call “civil disobedience,” they should accept that the rule of law applies equally — protests have limits, and violating the sanctity of worship services crosses the line.
This episode is a mirror: it shows a media class that excuses lawlessness when it suits a narrative and a president willing to call out the hypocrisy and stand for order. Hardworking Americans want safe streets, safe churches, and a justice system that treats everyone equally — including holding attention-seeking ex-anchor activists accountable when their actions threaten religious freedom and public safety.
