Protests

A man seen getting brutally beaten while dressed as an ICE agent at a protest in Hawaii is NOT with the feds … this according to the Department of Homeland Security.

A DHS spokesperson tells TMZ ... “This person is NOT an ICE agent and is not connected to DHS in any way."

The man -- who got his butt whooped by a bunch of people over the weekend in Waikiki on video -- could now get slapped with charges ... with DHS telling us, “Anyone caught impersonating a federal immigration agent will be prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law."

A man dressed like an ICE agent got his butt whooped by a bunch of people at a protest in Hawaii ... and it's all on video.

The epic beatdown was given out over the weekend in Waikiki ... it all started when one of the protesters threw some liquid on a guy outfitted like an Immigration Enforcement Officer, and things quickly got violent.

Ya gotta see the video ... multiple people take the guy down to the ground and they wail on him with fists and feet ... including one woman who kicks him in the face several times. She also whiffs on one kick and hits a guy in the face who is holding down the agent.

What started off as relatively peaceful No Kings protests across the country Saturday later devolved into utter chaos, with demonstrators in multiple parts of the country resorting to violence and police making a bunch of arrests.

Footage from the demonstrations in cities such as L.A., Denver and Portland shows more than 8 million people nationwide protesting President Trump's strict immigration polices, skyrocketing costs, and the American war with Iran.

Demonstrators also showed up in Trump's backyard in Palm Beach, Florida, to express their anger at what they perceive as 47's authoritarian rule. The Coast Guard was even seen posted up in the area.

At first, things were pretty calm with protesters making their voices heard by holding up anti-Trump signs while calling for him to leave office ... but then it all went downhill after demonstrators clashed with federal agents and counterprotesters in the aforementioned cities.

No Kings demonstrations have kicked up all over the country Saturday ... and it's led to some feisty arguments between people on opposite sides of the political spectrum.

Protests have popped up in major cities like Chicago, Washington, D.C., New York City, Los Angeles ... and down in West Palm Beach, Florida -- where words were exchanged between protesters and counterprotesters.

In the video, the No Kings demonstrators are peacefully demonstrating on the side of the road -- when they engage in an intense back-and-forth with several men who walk up.

Wild moment on Capitol Hill ... GOP Senator Tim Sheehy helped police remove an anti-war protestor from a Senate hearing ... and it's all on video.

Footage from Wednesday's Senate Armed Services Committee hearing shows a man in a Marine Corps uniform being dragged out by Capitol Police ... and then Sheehy runs over to help.

The protestor is heard shouting, "No one wants to fight for Israel!!!"

The feds are going hard on the anti-ICE demonstration Don Lemon covered at a Minnesota church ... because dozens more protestors are going to be arrested.

According to a superseding federal indictment, obtained by TMZ, the feds are charging 30 new people. Don and 8 others were already arrested and charged in relation to the January 18 protest.

The feds say a group of approximately 40 "agitators" went into Cities Church in St. Paul in a "coordinated takeover-style attack and engaged in acts of oppression, intimidation, threats, interference, and physical obstruction."

Border Czar Tom Homan announced hundreds of federal law enforcement personnel will be pulled out of Minnesota Wednesday ... following weeks of unrest across the state.

At a press conference Wednesday morning, Homan said, "Given this increase in unprecedented collaboration, and as a result of the need for less public safety officers to do this work and a safer environment, I am announcing, effective immediately, we’ll draw down 700 people effective today -- 700 law enforcement personnel."

That's about a quarter of federal officers -- including ICE agents -- deployed throughout Minnesota, according to The Associated Press.

Homan cited "unprecedented" increased cooperation with local and state officials as the reason for the reduction. He said about 2,000 officers will remain in Minnesota.

"My goal with the support of President Trump is to achieve a complete drawdown and end this surge as soon as we can, but that is largely contingent on the end of the illegal and threatening activities against ICE and its federal partners that we’re seeing in the community,” he said, KSTP-TV reports.

Homan described ICE's operations in Minnesota as "very effective as far as public safety goes," adding ... "Was it a perfect operation? No. No. We created one unified chain of command to make sure everybody is on the same page. And make sure we follow the rules. I don’t think anybody, purposely, didn’t do something they should have done."

Thousands of federal agents have been sent to Minnesota since December as part of Operation Metro Surge ... and huge civilian crowds have protested immigration raids across the state amid violent detentions of people, including legal residents and children.

Three people have been shot -- including U.S. citizens Renee Good and Alex Pretti, who both died -- in Minneapolis in January by CBP and ICE officers. Good and Pretti were both protesting when they were killed.

Don Lemon is speaking out for the first time about his arrest by the feds ... telling Jimmy Kimmel he was bombarded by agents in an elevator in L.A. and was never given the chance to turn himself in ... all so they could allegedly "embarrass" him.

The veteran journalist recounted his Thursday night arrest on federal civil rights charges on "Jimmy Kimmel Live!" Monday, explaining he was stepping into a hotel elevator after reporting on the Grammys when all of a sudden, he felt himself "being jostled."

Don says the folks trying to arrest him didn't identify themselves at first and failed to show a warrant until he demanded one. He also claims he was never given an opportunity to turn himself in despite his legal team's efforts -- it's all in the clip.

Reverend Jordan Wells has been an NFL fan his whole life ... but he told us he's boycotting the Super Bowl this year -- and not because his beloved Kansas City Chiefs didn't make it ... it's because Bad Bunny's headlining the halftime show.

Wells stopped by "TMZ Live" to explain his boycott of Super Bowl LX has nothing to do with Bad Bunny singing in Spanish ... it has everything to do with the Puerto Rican superstar supposedly making himself an activist, who Wells says, is demonizing one half of the country.

Wells says ... "I expect this Super Bowl to be the most political Super Bowl we have ever seen, because of who they picked and because of how the NFL has handled that."

Don Lemon was welcomed with a rousing standing ovation at Clive Davis' annual pre-Grammy Awards party at the Beverly Hilton Hotel Saturday ... after his hugely controversial arrest.

As you know ... Lemon was arrested Thursday night in Los Angeles for allegedly co-conspiring with protesters to disrupt a church service in Minneapolis. Of course, Lemon contends that -- as a journalist -- he was just reporting on the events taking place.

The Trump administration seems to have turned Don into a folk hero of sorts, representing the fight against what many view as an assault on the institutions of America's democracy.

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.

Ellen DeGeneres’ gander across the pond looks like it hit pause -- 'cause she popped up back in Montecito mansion-hunting ... the same day of calling for a nationwide shutdown.

The ex-talk show host preached in an IG post, "no work, no school, no shopping" in protest over ICE brutality in Minnesota -- something tons of other Americans have been preaching today -- but that vibe didn’t exactly stick while out in luxe-land touring not one, but two mega-mansions Friday. Talk about do as I say, not as I stroll!

Take a look at these pics -- these weren’t casual Zillow scrolls -- we’re talking $35M and $17M spreads, beach strolls, full walkthrough mode with wife Portia de Rossi by her side.

Patrick Bet-David hopped into the "TMZ Live" hot seat over Don Lemon’s arrest Friday -- and it got fiery real quick, with PBD insisting Don blurred lines by mixing with protesters instead of just covering them.

The conservative podcast host and media personality doubled down hard ... even when Harvey Levin and Charles Latibeaudiere pushed back, saying Don got way too close to the protesters and perhaps even joined in their planning.

Patrick warned that Don's actions were a slippery slope -- pointing to footage that he says raises big questions about whether Lemon was observing or participating.

8:17 AM PT -- Don Lemon is being charged with conspiracy to deprive rights, and violation of the FACE Act -- interfering by force of someone’s First Amendment rights -- according to a Department of Homeland Security spokesperson.

Don Lemon was arrested Thursday night by federal agents in Los Angeles in connection with his coverage of an ICE protest that disrupted a Minnesota church service.

Lemon was charged with violating a federal law by impeding people's right to worship during an anti-ICE protest at Cities Church in Minneapolis on January 18, according to The New York Times.

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

Holy open mic, Batman ... the Dark Knight rose up in Santa Clara earlier this week to slam the city council's cooperation with ICE!

A man dressed as the Caped Crusader -- identified as "Batman" on the monitor Tuesday -- swooped down on the podium like Gotham's defender himself ... instantly launching into a tirade which began with an expletive.

In the 3-minute speech, Batman accuses the city council of allowing the federal government to walk all over them ... and, he expresses his concern about hundreds of masked men coming to Santa Clara. As you know, the federal government announced in October ICE agents will be present at Levi's Stadium on Feb. 8, the day of the Super Bowl ... but sources told TMZ Sports today there is no plan for ICE to conduct immigration enforcement at the site, so details remain sketchy.