FIRST ON THE DAILY SIGNAL—Cities Church, the St. Paul church invaded by agitators opposing Immigration and Customs Enforcement, responded Friday after federal agents arrested former CNN host Don Lemon Thursday night in Los Angeles.

“We are grateful that the Department of Justice acted swiftly to protect Cities Church so that we can continue to faithfully live out the church’s mission to worship Jesus and make him known,” Jonathan Parnell, the church’s lead pastor, said in a statement first provided to The Daily Signal.

Renee Carlson and Doug Wardlow, the attorneys for True North Legal who represent Cities Church, also celebrated the arrests.

“The freedom to worship God without fear of violence and intimidation is a fundamental right that defines who we are as Americans,” the attorneys said. “True North Legal and Cities Church are grateful that the Department of Justice is committed to upholding that freedom and is holding the agitators who invaded the church accountable.”

?EXCLUSIVE@citieschurch Head Pastor @jonathanparnell responds to Don Lemon's arrest:

“We are grateful that the Department of Justice acted swiftly to protect Cities Church so that we can continue to faithfully live out the church’s mission to worship Jesus and make him… pic.twitter.com/B2Zi8O8dag

“Don Lemon was taken into custody by federal agents last night in Los Angeles, where he was covering the Grammy awards,” Lemon’s attorney, Abbe Lowell, wrote in a statement posted to Lemon’s show on YouTube.

“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 added. “The First Amendment exists to protect journalists whose role it is to shine light on the truth and hold those in power accountable.”

Attorney General........

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