LOS ANGELES — Journalist Don Lemon appeared on “Jimmy Kimmel Reside!” Monday night time for his first interview following his arrest final week.
Federal brokers arrested Lemon whereas he was in Los Angeles protecting the Grammy Awards.
The Division of Justice stated his arrest was sparked by his protection of an anti-ICE protest throughout a church service in Minnesota.
“I am not going to allow them to steal my pleasure, however that is very critical. I imply, these are federal prison prices,” Lemon stated firstly of the interview.
The previous CNN anchor stated he went to the Minnesota church as a journalist, not a protester.
“There’s lots that I can’t say, however what I’ll say is that I am not a protester,” Lemon stated. “I went there to be a journalist. I went there to chronicle and doc and report what was taking place. I used to be following that one group round. And so that is what I did. I reported on them.
Lemon stated he and his lawyer bought phrase an arrest was presumably coming, so he supplied to show himself in – however Lemon stated he by no means heard again from the DOJ when his lawyer reached out.
“People who find themselves accused of a lot worse issues than I’m accused of doing, they’re allowed the courtesy – I imply Donald Trump was allowed the courtesy to show himself in,” Lemon informed Kimmel.
Earlier than his arrest, Lemon stated he was heading again to his resort after attending a pair occasions when folks grabbed him and put him in handcuffs.
“I bought again to the resort. I had my swag bag from the (occasion), and I used to be strolling as much as the room, and I pressed the elevator button and swiftly, I really feel myself being jostled and folks making an attempt to seize me and put me in handcuffs.
“And I stated, ‘What are you doing right here?’ They usually stated, ‘We got here to arrest you.’ I stated, ‘Who’re you?’ Lastly, they recognized themselves. I stated, ‘If you’re who you’re, then the place’s the warrant?’ They did not have a warrant. So, they needed to wait for somebody from exterior, an FBI man to return in, to point out me a warrant on a cellphone.”
Lemon stated there have been a couple of dozen folks there for the arrest and referred to as it a “waste of sources” since his lawyer stated he would flip himself in.
“They need that,” Lemon stated. “They need to embarrass you, they need to intimidate you, they need to instill worry, in order that’s why they did it that means.”
Lemon stated he was shocked by the variety of supporters and reporters who have been there for him as soon as he was launched.
Lemon was on the Grammys Sunday after a decide allowed him to be launched on his personal recognizance, with out bail. He’s anticipated to be arraigned Feb. 9.
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