Knowledge: Freedom of the PRESS is under assault

Please call congress and demand action to protect all of our rights

5 alarm fire

Two journalists, Don Lemon and Georgia Fort and several other protestors were illegally arrested by Federal agents.  All were black. 

Press freedoms are under assault like never before:
Raid on WaPo reporter's home and information
Arrests of two reporters
Violent assaults on press nationwide
Detention of press
Cameras seized
ALL ILLEGAL-First AMENDMENT, see bill of rights

 
PRESS FREEDOM TRACKER-

        GRIM NEWS IN USA AND ELSEWHERE.

Example of press being assaulted:

Source

Federal agents hold photographer John Abernathy on the ground outside the Bishop Henry Whipple Federal Building in the Minneapolis, Minnesota, area on Jan. 15, 2026.

 — AP Photo/John Locher “The smoke was so thick that I couldn’t breathe, and I was gagging,” Abernathy said. During the violent arrest, Abernathy tossed his camera to another photographer for safekeeping. The image captured by Pierre Lavie is worth checking out on Instagram.

Abernathy was later released and went to the hospital that evening for his wounds. He continues to face an obstruction charge.

Details of 14 assaults on the press in Minnesota, January 2026.

https://youtube.com/shorts/YoHnHOIS_C4?si=N12GP1WbiA2TK5u_ 

Gemini AI summary:

Don Lemon and Fort arrests are violations of our rights

The arrests of journalists 

Don Lemon and 

Georgia Fort

 in late January 2026 have sparked widespread condemnation from civil rights groups and legal experts, who describe them as significant violations of First Amendment rights and a dangerous escalation of government overreach. 

The Incident and Arrests

• Context: On January 18, 2026, Lemon and Fort were covering a protest at Cities Church in St. Paul, Minnesota. Protesters disrupted the service to demonstrate against a pastor who also serves as a high-ranking ICE official.
• Arrests: Federal agents arrested Lemon in Los Angeles while he was covering the Grammy Awards. Simultaneously, Georgia Fort was arrested in Minnesota, an event she partially captured on a Facebook livestream as agents arrived at her home.
• Legal Unusualness: The arrests occurred despite a magistrate judge and a federal appeals court previously rejecting attempts to charge Lemon, citing insufficient evidence. The administration eventually bypassed these hurdles by securing a grand jury indictment. 

Alleged Violations and Legal Charges

The Department of Justice (DOJ) and DHS have charged the journalists under the FACE Act and 18 USC 241 (Conspiracy to Deprive Rights). Critics argue these charges misapply laws intended to protect religious freedom to instead criminalize journalism. 

Legal Argument for Violation	Counter-Argument/Defense
First Amendment Infringement: Critics say charging reporters for "being there" covering a disruption criminalizes journalism.	The DOJ alleges the journalists were part of a "coordinated attack" and "physically obstructed" the pastor. This is ridiculous.  See analyses here, here, here, and here and here
FACE Act Misapplication: Legal experts note the law has a carve-out for peaceful expressive conduct.	Prosecutors claim Lemon's actions went beyond reporting, alleging he stood close to the pastor to "oppress and intimidate" him.
Government Intimidation: Media groups call the arrests "pure intimidation" meant to chill coverage of the administration's immigration crackdown.	The administration maintains it is simply upholding the civil rights of the church congregants to worship without interference.

Broader Context

The arrests are part of a larger period of civil unrest in Minnesota following the fatal shootings of two citizens, Renee Good and Alex Pretti, by federal agents earlier in January. Many view the prosecution of Lemon and Fort as a transparent attempt to distract from these crises. 

Following his release, Lemon stated, "The First Amendment of the Constitution protects that work for me... I will not be silenced". 

    

ACTIONs: 

Boycott CBS. Please  write them so that they know why you refuse to consume their content any more.

Donald Trump has established a pattern of filing high-dollar defamation and libel lawsuits against major media organizations, alleging "fake news" or "election interference," with some instances leading to significant settlements. Below is a tabulation of notable examples, primarily focusing on actions taken around his 2024 campaign and second term, as well as earlier actions, noting both settled and dismissed cases. 

Examples of Trump's Lawsuits Against Media Outlets

4. 

Media Outlet / Entity	Date of Action	Issue/Allegation	Status/Outcome
1. ABC News / George Stephanopoulos	March 2024 (Settled Dec 2024)	Claimed anchor inaccurately stated Trump was "liable for rape" (jury found "sexual abuse" only because NY law at the time did not define Trump's insertion of his body into the victim's body as rape.  LAW update-NY now defines TRUMPS  actions as rape).	Settled: ABC agreed to pay $15M to a Trump-designated foundation and $1M in legal fees.
2. Paramount / CBS News	Late 2024 (Settled)	Alleged "60 Minutes" edited an interview with Kamala Harris to favor her.	Settled: Paramount agreed to pay $16M to a Trump-designated foundation/legal fees.
3. The New York Times	Sept 2025 (Amended Oct 2025)	Sued for $15B over articles and a book ("Lucky Loser") concerning his finances and business, alleging defamation.	Ongoing: Original suit dismissed; refiled, amended, and currently pending in FL.
4. Wall Street Journal / Rupert Murdoch	July 2025	Sued over reporting on a 2003 note linked to Jeffrey Epstein, calling it "malicious".	Ongoing: Filed in federal court, alleging defamation.
5. BBC	Dec 2025	Sued for $10B over a documentary allegedly editing Jan 6, 2021 speech to imply violence.	Ongoing: BBC admitted an error of judgment but rejected the lawsuit's basis.
6. Des Moines Register / Ann Selzer	Dec 2024	Sued over a poll showing Harris leading in Iowa, alleging "brazen election interference".	Ongoing: Lawsuit filed in Iowa state court.
7. CNN	Oct 2022 (Dismissed 2023)	Sued for $475M for using the phrase "The Big Lie" to describe election fraud claims.	Dismissed: Judge ruled statements were opinions, not fact.
8. Mary Trump / NYT	2021 (Dismissed 2023)	Sued for $100M over a "plot" to obtain tax records.	Dismissed: Trump was ordered to pay NYT legal expenses.

Summary of Behavioral Patterns

• Financial Payouts: Trump has successfully secured multi-million dollar payouts aimed at funding his presidential library and legal fees, specifically $15 million from ABC and $16 million from Paramount/CBS.  [PLEASE BOYCOTT THESE MEDIA FOR BRIBING TRUMP.  They could easily have won their cases in court]
• "Fake News" Focus: Lawsuits often claim a "coordinated media campaign" or "fraudulent" reporting designed to hurt his political standing. The actual fake news comes from the White House, right wing media and supporters of dictatorship.
• Venue Selection: Recent lawsuits are frequently filed in Florida, a friendly jurisdiction.
• Stiffened Resistance: While some outlets settle, others (like the NYT) have defended their reporting, leading to dismissals and orders for Trump to pay their legal fees.