Police in Minneapolis released a CNN reporter who was led off in handcuffs along with his film crew while reporting live on television early Friday morning during violent protests in the city. Minnesota Governor Tim Walz called on Friday for an end to the violent protests, adding that he expected “swift” justice for the officers involved.
Officers gave no explanation as they escorted reporter Omar Jimenez away. He had just shown a protester being arrested when about half a dozen police officers in gas masks surrounded him. More than an hour later, the crew was released.
“What gave me one bit of comfort was that it happened on live TV,” Jimenez told viewers after he was released. “You don’t have to doubt my story it’s not filtered in any way; you saw it with your own eyes.”
African-American CNN correspondent Omar Jimenez was the first one arrested by the officers. The channel’s livestream showed the reporter telling law enforcement the crew would move to an area police find satisfying so as not to obstruct its way.
— CNN (@CNN) May 29, 2020
“We can move back to where you like,” he told the officers wearing gas masks and face shields, before explaining that he and his crew were members of the press. “We’re getting out of your way.”
The correspondent was surrounded by half a dozen officers after showing a protester being arrested by police.
Some 500 National Guard troops have been called to the area following violent riots across the city, according to CNN.
Rioters took over the neighborhood around the Minneapolis police precinct early Friday morning. Race riots have been taking place in the city since African-American citizen George Floyd was choked to death by a police officer.
Part of the Minneapolis police precinct set on fire by the protesters collapsed live on air Friday morning. The riots reportedly spread out to the Saint Louis area of the Twin Cities.
The CNN crew is reportedly in police custody and the channel’s legal team is in contact with the Minneapolis Police Department in order to organize their release.
According to CNN, the crew was “arrested while giving a live television report in Minneapolis, where the crew was covering ongoing protests over the death of George Floyd. They had clearly identified themselves as press.”
A CNN crew was arrested while giving a live television report in Minneapolis, where the crew was covering ongoing protests over the death of George Floyd. They had clearly identified themselves as press. https://t.co/QklqlJm7mD pic.twitter.com/0xreuTPuWS— CNN International (@cnni) May 29, 2020
“Hopefully the governor is included and we will get some resolutions,” Minneapolis Council Vice President Andrea Jenkins told the channel. Minnesota Governor Tim Walz apologized for the incident, saying he takes full responsibility for the arrest of the team and that he is working on its immediate release. “We want the media there,” Walz said. “We just saw this live on air,” Jenkins said about what she calls a racism emergency. Jenkins said there were two CNN reporters at the scene, “one black and one white, and the black gets arrested.” According to her, “that’s the stark display of racism.”
Reuters contributed to this report.
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