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Don Lemon Clashes with Nicki Minaj Over Protest Coverage

Published 20 January 2026

Former CNN anchor Don Lemon clashed publicly with rapper Nicki Minaj after she condemned his coverage of an anti-Immigration and Customs Enforcement protest that disrupted a Sunday church service in the Minneapolis area. The exchange, which erupted on social media, highlighted tensions over the demonstration and raised questions about journalistic protections amid a federal investigation.

On Sunday, January 18, activists entered Cities Church in St. Paul during its morning worship service, chanting slogans such as "ICE out" and demanding accountability for the fatal shooting of Renee Nicole Good. Good, a local resident, was killed earlier this month by an ICE agent during a federal enforcement operation in Minneapolis. The protesters targeted the church because its pastor, David Easterwood, serves as acting director of ICE's St. Paul field office, according to reports from those present.

Lemon, now working as an independent journalist, captured the event in a nearly seven-hour video he posted online. The footage showed him speaking with organizers outside the church before the group entered and interrupted the service. Inside, Lemon interviewed participants, including church...

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