‘You Had Two Dozen Agents Show Up at Your Door?’ Anderson Cooper in Disbelief as Journalist Describes Arrest by Feds

CNN’s Anderson Cooper was taken aback by a journalist’s account of her arrest by federal agents overnight.

On Friday, Georgia Fort, an Emmy-winning independent journalist, and former CNN host Don Lemon were charged with conspiracy to deprive rights after they covered a protest at Cities Church in St. Paul this month. The two were covering a demonstration at the church, where one of the pastors, David Easterwood, is reportedly acting director of the Immigration and Customs Enforcement field office in the city. Protests against the Trump administration’s immigration crackdown have surged in recent weeks after federal agents shot and killed two people in separate incidents in Minneapolis.

Fort and Lemon pleaded not guilty. Attorney General Pam Bondi revealed on social media that she personally ordered their arrests and the arrests of two others involved.

After her release, Fort, who livestreamed from her home as agents were outside her door, joined Friday’s AC360.

“How are you doing? And were you surprised that you were arrested?” Cooper asked. “Obviously, previous attempts to arrest you had been blocked by federal courts.”

“I’m hanging in there,” Fort replied. “It is quite frightening to have two dozen agents outside of your home. You know, my children were home with me when I was arrested. And so, yeah, it’s been a long day. And yes, it was extremely shocking.”

Cooper seemed visibly unnerved by the show of force.

“You had two dozen agents show up at your door?” he responded.

“Yes,” she answered.

Cooper then read from part of the indictment, which stated that Fort and the others “entered the church in a coordinated takeover-style attack and engaged in acts of oppression, intimidation, threats, interference and physical obstruction.” The indictment further alleged, “Congregants fled the church building for fear of their safety.”

“Anderson, I am a journalist just like you,” Fort said. “I went in my capacity as a journalist. I documented as a journalist. The footage is published. It speaks for itself.”

Fort went on to say that it was never her intention to become the news.

“As journalists, we never want to be the story,” Fort explained. “But unfortunately, I did find myself in a predicament where I felt that I needed to be able to tell my own story, that I needed the world to see that journalism is on trial, that we are at a state in our nation where if you are documenting what is happening, you may be criminalized for it, you may be arrested. And so I think what is happening in Minnesota overall should be quite alarming to the entire nation. I think what happened to me today as an independent journalist, what happened to Don Lemon being arrested for reporting what’s happening, I think people should be alarmed.”

Shortly before her appearance on CNN, Lemon emerged from a federal courthouse in Los Angeles where he had been arraigned.

“I’ve spent my entire career covering the news. I will not stop now,” Lemon told a crowd of supporters. “In fact, there is no more important time than right now this very moment for a free and independent media that shines a light on the truth and holds those in power accountable.”

Watch above via CNN.

New: The Mediaite One-Sheet "Newsletter of Newsletters"
Your daily summary and analysis of what the many, many media newsletters are saying and reporting. Subscribe now!