Washington, D.C. — Today, Indivisible’s Co-Executive Director Ezra Levin released the following statement in response to the arrests of journalists Don Lemon and Georgia Fort:
“The arrests of Don Lemon and Georgia Fort are a flagrantly unconstitutional attack on journalism and the First Amendment. They are both journalists who were lawfully doing their jobs, exercising their constitutional rights to observe, document, and report. Make no mistake: The regime is escalating its attack on Minnesota and other communities even as it tries to convince Senate Democrats to give more money to DHS.
“This regime is lying when they claim this is about public safety. It is about power. Authoritarian regimes target independent journalists because they know the truth is a threat. When the government uses force like this to silence the press, every single alarm bell should go off.
“We also cannot overlook the fact that this regime targeted two Black journalists, one of whom is a member of the LGBTQ community, for reporting out of a city that has been fighting deadly regime attacks on their immigrant communities. Arresting and attacking leading Black journalists documenting state violence is not incidental, it is a central element of their racist and homophobic agenda.
“A free press is not optional in a democracy. These arrests are an escalation of the already abhorrent attacks on democracy by the regime. Not only must the arrests be immediately reversed, and those responsible held accountable – but every Democrat in Congress must vote against any additional funding for the DHS. There’s no excuse.
“Free Don Lemon. Free Georgia Fort.”
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