Nicki Minaj used a homophobic slur in reference to Don Lemon shortly before he was arrested over his coverage of an anti-ICE protest.
In a preview from “The Katie Miller” podcast, Minaj was asked about her response to Lemon after their public back and forth over his coverage of the protests against the presence of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents.
“C***sucker, stop,” she said in an episode airing on Tuesday, February 3, before laughing at the offensive phrase.
Minaj has used the slur multiple times in reference to Lemon since his livestream from Cities Church in St. Paul earlier this month where demonstrators interrupted a weekend service. News broke on Friday, January 30, that Lemon has since been taken into federal custody in Los Angeles.
“Don has been a journalist for 30 years, and his constitutionally protected work in Minneapolis was no different than what he has always done,” Lemon’s attorney Abbe Lowell told Us Weekly in a statement. “The First Amendment exists to protect journalists whose role it is to shine light on the truth and hold those in power accountable. There is no more important time for people like Don to be doing this work.”
The statement noted that Lemon was at the protest as a journalist — not a participant.
“Instead of investigating the federal agents who killed two peaceful Minnesota protesters, the Trump Justice Department is devoting its time, attention and resources to this arrest, and that is the real indictment of wrongdoing in this case,” the statement continued. “This unprecedented attack on the First Amendment and transparent attempt to distract attention from the many crises facing this administration will not stand. Don will fight these charges vigorously and thoroughly in court.”
CBS News reported that Lemon will face a grand jury in connection to the arrest but no charges were immediately revealed. According to The New York Times, prosecutors accused Lemon of violating a federal law that protects the right of people to participate in services at houses of worship.
Before being taken into custody, Lemon, who is married to real estate agent Tim Malone, reported on the protests taking place after ICE officer Jonathan Ross killed American citizen Renee Nicole Good.
Minaj slammed Lemon’s actions in comments that he called “homophobic and bigoted.” The journalist urged Minaj to “sit the f*** down” and “grow some brains.”
“I’m not surprised Nicki Minaj does not understand journalism and is weighing in on matters that are above her capacity,” he told TMZ.
Lemon also addressed the incident in a video, saying, “Once the protest started in the church, we did an act of journalism, which was report on it and talk to the people involved, including the pastor, members of the church and members of the organization. That’s it. That’s called journalism.”
