The Issue

Journalism is not a crime. Yet, the recent federal arrests of journalists Don Lemon, Georgia Fort, Trahern Jeen Crews, and Jamael Lydell Lundy tell a different story. These reporters were detained simply for doing their jobs: covering an anti-immigration enforcement protest at Cities Church in St. Paul, Minnesota.

This is a direct assault on the First Amendment. When the government uses outdated and racist statutes to arrest reporters documenting events of public interest, it is not an accident—it is an attempt to violate protected constitutional freedoms, suppress public information, and obstruct accountability.

This weaponization of legal authority echoes a dangerous historical pattern. From Reconstruction through the Civil Rights Era, legal systems have been used to suppress dissent and silence Black communities and other communities of color. It is no coincidence that Black journalists are being criminalized first. History and current events teach us that repression is often rehearsed on Black communities before it is perfected on Latino, AAPI, working-class, and white communities, who fight back against the weaponized federal government in solidarity.

This is not only an effort to silence journalists, but it is part of a broader strategy to intimidate and suppress Black-led organizations, immigrant justice groups, and the wider resistance movement challenging state violence and abuse of power.

When the government criminalizes documentation, it sends a chilling message to organizers, advocates, faith leaders, and community-based organizations: dissent itself is dangerous. These arrests are meant to disrupt movement infrastructure, fracture solidarity, and deter communities from exercising their constitutional rights.

Why This Matters

A free press is the cornerstone of a functioning democracy. Journalists are the public's eyes and ears, connecting us to the truth. When independent media is intimidated, transparency dies.

If we allow these arrests to go unchallenged, we accept a reality where:

• The public’s right to know is curtailed.

• Government overreach goes unchecked.

• Community voices are silenced by fear of prosecution.

We cannot stand idly by while authoritarian tactics chip away at our freedoms.

Our Demand

We are calling for immediate action to protect the future of independent journalism and hold power accountable.

1. We are appealing to Philanthropic and Media Funders to invest in resilient, community-rooted organizations, leadership, and media ecosystems.
We need robust financial support for legal protections and infrastructure for those reporting on state power and those organizations championing human rights. We need a safety net for those who risk their freedom to bring us the truth. Several initiatives already demonstrate the power of this model—Inland Empire Community Foundation’s Journalism Innovation & Fund, LA Local News Networks, the Los Angeles Partnership for Early Childhood Investment’s Media Fund, and Black Equity Collective’s Media Partnership Strategy with Capital & Main are all building power by resourcing trusted community messengers. Now is the time to scale these efforts and expand them nationwide.

2. We demand an end to the criminalization of movement work.
We call for the immediate cessation of using federal statutes to detain reporters engaged in newsgathering activities and the criminalization of organizations doing movement work. We call for all charges against Don Lemon, Georgia Fort, Trahern Jeen Crews, and Jamael Lydell Lundy to be dropped. The government must respect the constitutional rights of the press and the people.

3. We demand investment in non-traditional information networks.
Resources must be directed toward independent information networks operated by credible, trusted community-based organizations and trusted messengers.

How You Can Help

Your voice is powerful. By signing this petition, you are standing with the truth-tellers fighting to uphold the First Amendment and defend our Constitutional rights and freedoms. You are telling funders and government officials that we will not be intimidated into silence.

Please sign below to demand protection and funding for independent media and organizations in the ongoing pursuit of social justice.

[SIGN THE PETITION]

After signing, please share this petition with your network. Use the hashtag #DefendFreeSpeech and tell us why a free press matters to you.