Washington Post calls MN church protest an 'assault on religious liberty,' Don Lemon an 'internet provocateur'

The Washington Post editorial board referred to last week's protest at a Cities Church in St. Paul, Minnesota, as an "assault on religious liberty" and referred to ex-CNN anchor Don Lemon, who reported on-site from the protest, as an "internet provocateur."

In a Saturday editorial, The Post wrote that it has become difficult to "keep up with the many ways that America’s political culture has degraded in recent years," adding that one of the "most troubling trends" has been "houses of worship becoming the sites of uninvited political protests."

"The latest assault on religious liberty came last Sunday in St. Paul. More than two dozen activists stormed into Cities Church, looking for a pastor who also works for Immigration and Customs Enforcement. He wasn’t there, but the demonstrators disregarded pleas to leave and eventually forced the service to end prematurely," the Post reported.

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Referencing Lemon's reporting of the protest, the editorial board criticized the "internet provocateur" for "traumatizing" the children in attendance.

"An internet provocateur accompanied the protesters and expressed sympathy for their cause as he pointed to a man comforting a child on his live stream. ‘I imagine it’s uncomfortable and traumatic for the people here,’ he said. ‘That’s what protesting is about,’" the Post wrote. 

"Traumatizing children as they practice their faith? That’s what it’s about," the editorial asked. 

Fox News Digital reached out to Lemon for comment, but did not immediately hear back. 

"Houses of worship are sacred sanctuaries where people go to hear the word of God and be in community with fellow believers. Hijacking a religious service to make a political point is not just counterproductive but tears at the civic fabric," the editorial board added.

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While critical of the protesters who stormed the Minnesota church, the Post argued that they were "right to be infuriated by ICE’s tactics and lack of accountability," but "intimidating law-abiding citizens won’t advance the cause of reform."

The outlet contended that Christians attending service that day experienced "what too many Jewish Americans have had to endure as synagogues are increasingly targeted by antisemitic protests," and predicted that Christians would follow Jews’ example by "erecting barriers and hiring security guards so that they can simply live out their faith in peace."

Noting the roughly 100 clergy members who were arrested "without incident" on Friday after peacefully protesting deportation flights at the Minneapolis-Saint Paul International Airport, the editorial board pointed to this protest as a model for other activists.

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"That kind of activism is much more in keeping with the teachings of the Rev. Martin Luther King Jr., who never interrupted another pastor’s service uninvited," the outlet wrote.

In closing, the Post claimed that "most people are horrified" by the viral videos of ICE agents "seemingly mistreating the public, including U.S. citizens," and that support for President Donald Trump's "mass deportation campaign is plummeting without restoring to intimidation tactics against believers."

"The First Amendment gives Americans the right to protest and freely exercise their faith. One does not supersede the other," the editorial board concluded.

Lemon previously told Fox News Digital that he stands by his reporting and has faced online threats as a result. 

"It’s notable that I’ve been cast as the face of a protest I was covering as a journalist — especially since I wasn’t the only reporter there. That framing is telling. What’s even more telling is the barrage of violent threats, along with homophobic and racist slurs, directed at me online by MAGA supporters and amplified by parts of the right-wing press," Lemon said in a statement.

"If this much time and energy is going to be spent manufacturing outrage, it would be far better used investigating the tragic death of Renee Nicole Good— the very issue that brought people into the streets in the first place," Lemon continued. "I stand by my reporting."