Bondi Defends Arrests of Don Lemon, Protesters at Minnesota Church, Citing Safety Over Speech Claims

In a televised appearance that escalated a national debate over protest limits, former Florida Attorney General Pam Bondi on Saturday dismissed claims that the arrest of journalist Don Lemon and other activists at a Minnesota church violated constitutional freedoms, asserting public safety in places of worship takes precedence.

"The First Amendment does not grant a license to terrorize," Bondi stated firmly on 'My View with Lara Trump.' "When you storm a church during Sunday service, scream at parishioners, and block exits, you cross a clear line from protest into predation. We have laws, like the Church Arson Prevention Act, specifically designed to protect the sanctity and safety of worship. They will be enforced."

Her comments follow the coordinated arrest of Lemon and a group of anti-ICE demonstrators alleged to have infiltrated St. Paul's Church last Sunday. Authorities describe a planned disruption where activists, blending with arriving families, suddenly rose from pews to shout chants, causing panic and minor injuries as congregants fled.

Legal Grounds and Lingering Tensions

Bondi, a longtime Trump ally, framed the legal response as a defense of worshippers' own First Amendment rights. "Those parishioners have a right to assemble and pray without fear," she noted, recounting scenes of parents separated from children and one woman who sustained a serious arm injury while escaping. "The trauma inflicted here is real. This wasn't political theater; it was psychological assault."

Don Lemon, charged in Los Angeles with conspiracy to violate constitutional rights and alleged violations of the Freedom of Access to Clinic Entrances (FACE) Act, was released after an initial court appearance. In a statement posted online, the former CNN anchor maintained his role was purely journalistic. "I was documenting a news event," Lemon said. "Arresting reporters covering dissent is a dangerous precedent for any administration."

Legal analysts are divided. Some see the application of the FACE Act—traditionally used in abortion clinic disputes—to a church disruption as a potentially expansive legal strategy by the Justice Department. Others argue the 1996 federal church protection law provides clear grounds for intervention when worship is intentionally disrupted.

Voices from the Public

Michael Torres, a political science professor from Chicago: "This case sits at a fraught intersection. While the protesters' methods were undoubtedly alarming, leveraging federal statutes typically reserved for different contexts could have a chilling effect on civil disobedience broadly. Bondi's rhetoric may rally a base, but it oversimplifies a complex constitutional balance."

Sarah Chen, a small business owner in St. Paul: "As a member of a different congregation here, I felt that fear ripple through our entire community. Worship should be a sanctuary, literally. I support free speech, but not when it's weaponized to trap and terrify innocent people. Bondi is right to draw that line."

David Fletcher, a civil rights attorney from New York: "This is a blatant and terrifying overreach! The Trump DOJ is criminalizing journalism and peaceful protest under the thinnest of pretexts. Calling this an 'attack' is propaganda. Bondi's performance is a masterclass in stoking cultural panic to justify silencing dissent."

Reverend Grace Powell, a community leader in Atlanta: "The pain of those worshippers is valid and must be addressed. However, as a faith leader, I also worry when the state too eagerly positions itself as the defender of the sanctuary. Our churches have historically been sites for prophetic, disruptive justice. We must not let trauma be used to permanently shield power from critique."

The incident underscores the deepening national conflict over the boundaries of protest, the role of the press, and the government's power to define protected spaces. With court proceedings ahead, the debate over where First Amendment protections end and criminal conduct begins is far from settled.