MINNEAPOLIS, MN. – JANUARY 2026: Journalist Georgia Fort, right and Minnesota State Senate candidate Jamael Lundy hold their hands to their hearts as they are greeted by family and supporters leaving the Federal Courthouse in Minneapolis, Minn., on Friday, January 30, 2026, after being arrested in connection to a previous protest at Cities Church in St. Paul, Minn., January 18, 2026. Former CNN anchor Don Lemon was also arrested in connection to the Cities Church incident. (Photo by Renee Jones Schneider/The Minnesota Star Tribune via Getty Images)
Nine months after federal agents arrested Georgia Fort for covering an anti-ICE protest inside a St. Paul church, the independent journalist is reckoning with how the prosecution has reshaped her approach to reporting. In an exclusive conversation with The Root, Fort describes a chilling self-awareness that now accompanies every editorial decision: the knowledge that the federal government can—and has—weaponized her work against her.
“Being prosecuted by the federal government has definitely had an impact on my ability to be effective at reporting,” Fort explained. “I find myself doing a lot of self-censoring. When you are being prosecuted, you have to realize everything that you say can be used against you.” Fort, the founder of independent news outlet BLCK Press and a three-time Midwest Emmy winner, was arrested on January 30 after filming a January 18 demonstration at Cities Church in St. Paul. Georgia Fort and former CNN anchor Don Lemon were among those charged by federal prosecutors in connection with the protest. Fort has pleaded not guilty.
Her case arrives as questions about press freedom have become impossible to ignore. Last month, President Trump barred CNN, MSNBC, and Politico from the White House, citing “fake news” accusations. The outlets sued, and a federal judge temporarily restored their access. Days later, the White House blocked Politico from serving as the primary print pool reporter on Air Force One during a presidential trip to Nebraska.
Fort sees these incidents as part of a larger pattern. “Being arrested as a Black journalist who was simply doing their job indicates that press freedom is under attack,” she said. “And I think the recent ban of the press at the White House is another indicator that it’s escalating.”
The timing of Fort’s comments carries weight. She spoke to The Root at an event supporting fellow journalist April Ryan, whose new book, “Notes on a Blacklash: When a Black Woman Goes Viral,” launched on Tuesday, October 6. Both journalists have faced scrutiny for their reporting—a reminder that the pressure on the press isn’t abstract or theoretical. It’s personal, documented, and ongoing.
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