Following her and Don Lemon’s arrests, independent journalist Georgia Fort vows to continue reporting on the anti-ICE protests.
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Lemon and Fort were arrested on charges related to an incident that occurred during a church service last month.
A group of protesters entered the church to protest against the pastor, David Easterwood. The religious leader also serves as head of an ICE field office.
Although they did not participate in the church service protest, Lemon and Fort reported on the incidents.
Fort, an independent journalist in Minnesota, was arrested in the early hours of Friday. She was released the same day.
The independent journalist spoke to CNN’s Anderson Cooper after her release. She said that she will “continue to tell the stories of my community.”
She further pointed out that her and Lemon’s arrests have sent a “chilling message” to the media sector.
“As journalists, we never want to be the story,” she told Cooper. “But unfortunately, I did find myself in a predicament where I felt that I needed to be able to tell my own story, that I needed the world to see that journalism is on trial.”
Fort then said, “If they can criminalize a journalist here in Minnesota, whether you’re independent or not, I think that we’ve seen a track record where this is just going to continue to escalate.”
Fellow Independent Journalist Don Lemon Also Spoke Out About Being Arrested For Anti-ICE Protest Reporting
Meanwhile, Don Lemon also spoke out about being arrested.
During his YouTube show on Friday, the former CNN reporter said the arrest should encourage journalists around the world “to stand up for each other.”
“It may have started with people having their due process rights violated on the streets, violently violated on the streets,” he said. “But now they’re trying to silence journalists. And I will not be silenced.”
A federal magistrate judge quickly declined ot approch of Lemon’s arrest. The reason for the decline was “lack of evidence.”
The chief federal appeals court judge in Minnesota rejected a prosecutor’s appeal of the decision days later.
Abbe Lowell, an attorney representing Lemon, described the arrest as being an “unprecedented attack on the First Amendment.”
“Don has been a journalist for 30 years, and his constitutionally protected work in Minneapolis was no different than what he has always done,” Lowell shared in a statement. ” The First Amendment exists to protect journalists whose role it is to shine light on the truth and hold those in power accountable.”
Lowell also stated that Lemon will “fight these charges vigorously and thoroughly in court.”