\n<\/p>\n
Former CNN host Don Lemon has hired a former federal prosecutor to defend him against charges related to the anti-ICE activist invasion of Cities Church last month.<\/span><\/p>\n Joseph Thompson not only served as a federal prosecutor, but Thompson previously worked out of the same prosecutor\u2019s office in Minnesota that charged Lemon. Thompson will join Abbe Lowell, Lemon\u2019s lead attorney, in the case to defend the independent journalist, according to <\/span>The New York Times<\/span><\/a>.<\/span><\/p>\n Thompson recently left the U.S. attorney\u2019s office in Minnesota. He resigned from the office last month in protest of the Trump administration\u2019s immigration policy and crackdown on illegal aliens in Minneapolis.<\/span><\/p>\n Lemon filmed as protesters invaded Cities Church in St. Paul, Minnesota, on January 18. Prior to the event, Lemon joined the activists in a parking lot and appeared to intentionally keep details of the planned operation hidden from his audience as he talked to protesters.<\/span><\/p>\n During his livestream of the protesters\u2019 early gathering, Lemon \u201cstepped away momentarily so his mic would not accidentally divulge certain portions of the planning session,\u201d prosecutors <\/span>said<\/span><\/a> in an indictment.<\/span><\/p>\n Lemon was arrested last month and charged with conspiracy to violate the right of religious freedom at a house of worship and violations of the FACE Act, which bans disruption of religious services.<\/span><\/p>\n During his livestream, Lemon defended the protesters as they stormed into Cities Church and disrupted the service to the extent that parishioners opted to leave rather than wait for order to be restored. The ex-CNN host claimed that the actions of the protesters who stormed church property to disrupt the service are protected under the Constitution.<\/span><\/p>\n \u201cThere is nothing in the Constitution that tells you what time you can protest. You can protest at any time. That\u2019s the whole point of it, to disrupt, to make uncomfortable. And that\u2019s what they\u2019re doing,\u201d Lemon <\/span>said<\/span><\/a> during his livestream. \u201cWhen you see how \u2026 uncomfortably and harsh people are being treated on the streets, you have to be willing to go into places and disrupt and make people uncomfortable. That is what this country is about.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n Lemon blamed the Trump administration\u2019s immigration crackdown in Minneapolis for the activist operation.<\/span><\/p>\n \u201cThis is the beginning of what\u2019s going to happen here. When you violate people\u2019s due process, when you pull people off the street, you start dragging them and hurting them and not abiding by the Constitution \u2013 when you start doing all of that, people get upset and angry,\u201d Lemon said.<\/span><\/p>\n