Don Lemon Released Without Bail After Church Protest Arrest

Don Lemon has been released from custody after being criminally charged for covering a church protest in Minneapolis, and he made it clear ... this will not silence him.

Lemon told the crowd ... he has been a reporter for 30 years, and he will not stop doing what he has always done -- covering the news.

As we reported, Lemon was arrested Thursday night at his home in Los Angeles, for allegedly co-conspiring with protesters to disrupt a church service in Minneapolis.

Harvey Levin sounded off Thursday morning ... Lemon was not conspiring, he was reporting, and his arrest was a square violation of the First Amendment's guarantee of freedom of speech.

Lemon was released without bail. He says he looks forward to vindication at trial.

Prior to addressing the media Lemon appeared in court where a judge decided he could go without having to post bail while his federal case plays out.

Lemon wore a crisp, all white suit ... waving and smiling at supporters -- and winking at his husband at one point.

He's been ordered to appear at a court in Minnesota on Monday February 9 ... and his lawyer said he's "committed to fight this case and not going anywhere."

However, the judge has given Lemon permission to travel ... allowing him to go to France over the summer on a boating trip with friends so long as the trip doesn't conflict with the court's schedule. Obviously, he must abide by the general conditions of probation.

As we reported, Lemon was charged with violating a federal law by interfering with worship during a January anti-ICE protest at Cities Church in Minneapolis on January 18.

In a statement on Friday, U.S. Attorney General Pam Bondi said ... "At my direction, early this morning federal agents arrested Lemon, Trahern Jeen Crews, Georgia Fort, and Jamael Lydell Lundy, in connection with the coordinated attack on Cities Church in St. Paul, Minnesota."

Lemon has been charged with one count of conspiracy against the right of religious freedom at a place of worship and one count of injuring, intimidating, and interfering with the exercise of the right of religious freedom at a place of worship.

His attorney, Abbe Lowell, sounded off Friday morning -- saying Don was there as a journalist, protected by the First Amendment, and that his arrest was a distraction from the Trump admin investigating the killings of Renee Good and Alex Pretti at the hands of federal immigration enforcement agents in Minneapolis.

As we told you -- the feds originally tried to charge 8 people tied to the Cities Church protest, Don included ... but a magistrate judge only signed off on charges for 3, and Lemon wasn’t one of them.