[xiphias2]

I see, I found a video about it, actually it was not a protest, I thought people were outside the church, but they went inside.

https://youtu.be/s7jsQKRoNEY?si=gmHgnnxBrbgXR525

It was clearly not a protest but obstruction by others. And he was not taking part of the obstruction, just documenting it.

I can understand DOJ charging him with conspiracy if he took part of the planning, but arrasting him was probably not needed (whether conspiracy took part or not), as he didn't seem to disrupt the church.

[aftbit]

FACE covers "physical" obstruction or threats of violence or force. Standing in the room and yelling is not physical obstruction, and none of what was yelled was threatening violence. Regardless, Don Lemon himself didn't take part in any of that - he just went there to film it.

The DOJ just wants to scare people out of protesting or reporting on crimes, score some points with their religious base, and "own the libs" by turning the FACE act around, probably in retaliation for the (IMO overcharging) of the "Pro Life Grandmother" aka Paula “Paulette” Harlow:

>“[The defendants] forcefully entered the clinic and set about blockading two clinic doors using their bodies, furniture, chains, and ropes,” the US Attorney’s Office for the District of Columbia said.

[zahlman]

> I can understand DOJ charging him with conspiracy if he took part of the planning

The story includes a link to the entire livestream. You may be interested in the interview with protest coordinators before they enter the church.

I remember seeing an edited video on the order of 5 minutes long on Don Lemon's own channel that seems to be gone now, although the livestream is still there.

[stogot]

I lean more toward DOJ here. He knew in advance, showed up, and went inside. That’s participation. Not standing outside or peering through the door, but occupying the building. Having a camera doesn’t make that journalism. There’s no freedom of speech to defend here

[hoten]

That's still no more than a state-level misdemeanor trespass. The federal charges are insane.