Don Lemon addresses arrest in first statement at Jimmy Kimmel show

Don Lemon is clearing air regarding his recent arrest for reporting on an anti-ICE protest at a Minnesota church.

On Monday, the former CNN anchor made an appearance on Jimmy Kimmel Live! show, where he said he’s holding up but stressed the seriousness of the situation.

“I’m doing ‘OK,’” Lemon said, adding, “I’m not going to let them steal my joy, but this is very serious. I mean, these are federal criminal charges.”

The host asked whether there was a legal difference between protesters entering the church and a journalist covering the event.

“I’m in the middle of this, so I can’t say a lot,” Lemon replied. “There’s a lot that I cannot say, but what I will say is that I’m not a protester. I went there to be a journalist. I went there to chronicle and document and record what was happening.”

He added, “But I do think that there is a difference between a protester and a journalist.”

The anchor also talked about his arrest in Los Angeles and his time in jail where he was not allowed to make a phone call.

“Here’s the interesting thing. I didn’t have a ‘one phone call,’” he said. “They said, ‘No, you don’t. You get to talk to your attorney whenever the court says that you can.’”

Later, Lemon expressed gratitude for the public support he’s received.

“I said, ‘Yeah, it’s good to be seen,’ but it’s a lot of support.”

Lemon was arrested following coverage of a January 18 protest during church services, where demonstrators demanded justice for Renee Good, who was killed by an ICE agent. Authorities allege Lemon crossed from protected journalism into interfering with religious rights.