A member of the St.
The complaint, filed by Ann Doucette in the US District Court of Minnesota, alleges that the Jan. 18 at Cities Church interfered with his ability to worship and caused him to suffer injuries, including emotional distress and trauma.
In addition to the former CNN anchor and Armstrong, the complaint names journalist Georgia Fort, as well as activists Will Kelly, Jerome Richardson, Trahern Crews and Jamael Lundy. It also calls the Board Member of the school of St. Paul Chauntyll Allen.
Doucette and the seven defendants did not immediately respond to requests for comment. Doucette filed the appeal without legal representation. In an emailed statement to NBC News, Crews denied the accusations of the lawsuit “out of compassion and empathy.”
The lawsuit accuses the group of conspiracy, aiding and abetting, inflicting emotional distress, interfering with religious practices, and trespassing.
“As a result of the actions of the defendants, the worship service was disrupted, the brothers suffered fear and distress, and the plaintiff’s ability to freely exercise his religion in a private place of worship was unlawfully interfered with,” the lawsuit said.
All eight defendants also face charges of conspiring to oppose religious freedom rights in a place of worship and interfering with the exercise of the right to religious freedom. Lemon denied all charges, saying outside the court, “I wanted to say that this is not just about me, this is about all journalists, especially in the United States.”
Fort, Crews and Lundy were released on bond and pleaded guilty, according to the Associated Press.
It’s the latest legal action to coincide with protests in the Twin Cities, where tensions remain over the Trump administration’s crackdown on immigration and the shooting deaths of Renee Good and Alex Pretti.
According to the lawsuit, the protesters are accused of engaging in “organized behavior” by organizing meetings before the “Operation Pullup” protest and promoting it on social media.
The case alleges that the morning of Jan. 18, the united group entered the Cities Church, stopped the worship service, and sang “‘ICE Out!’ and ‘Hands up, Don’t shoot!’” while blocking the hallways. The protesters were said to be seen “facing the pastor and the congregation in a threatening manner,” the lawsuit said, noting that their chanting and “brutal actions” caused “great emotional distress, fear, anxiety and trauma” and caused the children “fear.”
Protesters gathered at the church because they say its pastor, David Easterwood, is the acting director of the ICE office in the city, the lawsuit said.
Lemon was arrested in January in California and charged with violating federal civil rights laws after organizing a protest on January 18. He was released on personal recognizance before a federal judge in Minnesota returned the indictment against Lemon and eight co-defendants, all of whom were also named in Doucette’s case.
In the lawsuit, Doucette alleges that Lemon live-streamed the protest, “knowing the fear and distress of the congregations, and seemed content with the disruption.”
Levy Armstrong, a Minneapolis-based civil rights attorney and activist, was arrested for his participation in the St. Louis protest. His arrest drew national attention after the White House shared photos of Dr. Levy Armstrong on social media, in which he was seen crying.
