CNN reporter and crew arrested during live broadcast of Minneapolis protests
A black and Latino CNN correspondent was live on the air covering the protests in Minneapolis when police handcuffed him and his crew Friday morning, the network said.
The reporter, Omar Jimenez, and two others with CNN were doing a live shot at 5 a.m. Central Time on Friday from the site of protests over the death of George Floyd.
Floyd died Monday as a police officer kneeled on his neck, video from the incident shows. “I can’t breathe,” he said in the video before he lost consciousness.
This was the third day of violent protests in Minneapolis, with looters setting fires and clashing with police, The Minneapolis Star-Tribune reports. A police precinct was burned Thursday night after protesters entered the building.
Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz called up the National Guard Thursday.
Jimenez was one of many journalists in the area covering the protests and rioting early Friday morning.
“A black reporter from CNN was arrested while legally covering the protests in Minneapolis. A white reporter also on the ground was not,” CNN said in a tweet, sharing the live video of the arrest.
Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz apologized to CNN for the arrest quickly after the reporter and his crew were detained, NBC News reports.
CNN confirmed that Jimenez and his team had been released by 6:45 a.m. local time.
Jimenez was back on camera live a little after 7 a.m. He said there was confusion as police pushed protesters back.
Jimenez said he and the crew tried to get out of the way of officers but were “sort of surrounded by state patrolmen and it seemed like Minneapolis police officers as well.”
He said the officer told him “he was just following orders.”
In a statement, CNN said, “A CNN reporter & his production team were arrested this morning in Minneapolis for doing their jobs, despite identifying themselves - a clear violation of their First Amendment rights. The authorities in Minnesota, incl. the Governor, must release the 3 CNN employees immediately.”
This story was originally published May 29, 2020 at 5:15 AM with the headline "CNN reporter and crew arrested during live broadcast of Minneapolis protests."
