Jane Fonda Pulls Out History And A Word Pun In Defense Of Don Lemon

Jane Fonda has joined the Don Lemon defense team!

The actress was present in court on Friday at Lemon's hearing after he was arrested by officials over a Minnesota church protest, and she had some strong words to say to Donald Trump.

Don Lemon had somewhat predicted his arrest from the day his video from the protest went viral, when he said the Justice Department had been trying several avenues to indict him.

The 80-year-old showed up outside a federal courthouse in Los Angeles to address protesters and speak on Lemon's character and how he does not deserve to be treated like a criminal.

Fonda stressed that they arrested the wrong person, while noting that he, alongside his producer, was at the protest site to do their job, which has now gotten him into trouble.

"I know Don Lemon. My husband created CNN. And I will fight for their right to speak, which is guaranteed in our constitution," the 80-year-old added. She reiterated that backing down and staying quiet will not be part of their plan, as their actions align with America's values and constitution.

"And they'll make up all kinds of defamatory things to say about him. That's what they're doing. This is how autocrats act. We can't fall for it. We have to speak up. When a red line is crossed like this, we cannot be silent," the American actress concluded, according to The Daily Mail.

Lemon, who was at the Beverly Hills Hotel in Los Angeles in preparation to cover the 68th annual Grammy Awards, was seized by more than two dozen federal agents.

As noted by The Blast, the team included both the FBI and Homeland Security, who showed up at his hotel room door to take him into custody overnight on Friday.

According to the Department of Homeland Security Spokesperson, "Don Lemon is being charged with 18 USC 241, Conspiracy to Deprive Rights, and 18 USC 248, Violation of the FACE Act, interfering by force of someone's First Amendment rights."

News of the media personality's arrest sparked reactions from social media users who condemned the deployment of a large number of cops to arrest just one person who had not committed any crime.

Critics added that America was now in the era of targeting people who disagree with Trump's authoritarian agenda, and the country is on the path to becoming like Russia.

The official X handle of the White House also reacted to news of Lemon's arrest mockingly by posting a black and white image of the journalist from the protest alongside a "When life gives you lemons," caption and an emoji of chains.

The White House's post was condemned by many, including that of Bernice King, daughter of Martin Luther King Jr. and CEO of the Center for Nonviolent Social Change. Bernice described the White House's post as the classic example of immaturity, terrible taste, and borderline fascism.

CNN also came forward with a supportive post despite terminating the journalist's appointment in 2023. According to them, Lemon's arrest has raised some concerning questions about the freedom of the press and the functionality of the First Amendment.

"The Department of Justice already failed twice to get an arrest warrant for Don and several other journalists in Minnesota, where a chief judge of the Minnesota Federal District Court found there was' no evidence' that there was any criminal behavior involved in their work," CNN's statement added.

On Friday afternoon, U.S. District Judge Patricia Donahue passed a verdict that the journalist should be allowed to go home on a no-money bond. In a report by The Blast, Lemon appeared outside the courthouse following the judgment to state some facts.

The media personality reiterated that he will not stop doing what he has done for years now, which is covering the news, especially now, which is such a crucial time in America's history. "I will not stop now. I will not stop ever. I will not be silenced, I look forward to my day in court," Lemon emphasized.

His attorney, Abbe Lowell, had informed the public about his client's arrest in a statement across social media platforms. Lowell reminded the public that Lemon had committed his time to covering the news for three decades now, and he has zero plans to cower in the face of intimidation.

Lowell continued in the statement, affirming that "this unprecedented attack on the First Amendment and transparent attempt to distract attention from the many crises facing this administration will not stand." The attorney promised that Lemon would fight "these charges vigorously and thoroughly in court."

The 59-year-old had felt a strong sense of vengeance coming towards him from the federal government since it became known that he was present at Minneapolis, covering the protest. During an interview on Scripps News, he revealed that a judge threw out the Justice Department's initial attempt to indict him.

He likened his case to that of James Corney, the former FBI director who was indicted last September and later dismissed. He had told the interviewer that he felt the government would try different means to take him down.

Lemon explained that his role in the protest was greatly exaggerated, as he was not part of the demonstration, but he was the most popular personality on the scene at the time.

On January 18, 2026, angry protesters stormed a church in St. Paul, Minnesota, right in the middle of service to express their disdain over ICE's immigration policies.

What is next for Don Lemon?