Don Lemon was arrested by federal agents while covering the Grammy Awards

Attorney said the arrest will be contested since it is related to Minnesota protest coverage.

Don Lemon was hauled into prison by federal investigators Thursday night in Los Angeles as he was in the city covering the Grammy Awards. The arrest is tied to his presence at a January demonstration inside a church in St. Paul, Minnesota.

Lemon’s lawyer claims that although he was recording the demonstration, he was operating in his capacity as a journalist. The incident featured demonstrators invading a church during a service after learning one of its pastors also worked as a federal immigration officer. Authorities said the demonstration broke federal law and disrupted a house of worship.

According to Lemon’s legal team, his activities aligned with decades of reporting, and they contend that his work is protected by the First Amendment. Lemon intends to vigorously defend the allegations in court, according to a prepared statement from his lawyer, who called the detention an assault on press freedom.