Minneapolis, MN — Early Friday morning CNN reporter Omar Jimenez and his crew were arrested while broadcasting live on air during the overnight protests in Minneapolis.
Jimenez was reporting shortly after 6:00 a.m. Friday morning on the anti-Trump network’s “New Day” show anchored by Alisyn Camerota. While reporting live, Jimenez was approached by state troopers in riot gear where he identified himself as a reporter with CNN and offered multiple times to move locations at the officers’ request, but they interrupted him to inform him he was being arrested.
During the on-air interaction, Jimenez started offering his willingness to move with Troopers present while Camerota and viewers witnessed the exchange.
“We’re speaking with state patrol right now, give us a second, guys,” said Jimenez when talking with police, whose side of the conversation was muffled. “We can move back to where you’d like. We are live on air at the moment. It’s the four of us, we are one team. Just put us back where you want us, we’re getting back out of your way — just let us know. Wherever you’d want s, we will go, we were just getting out of your way when you were advancing through the intersection. Just let us know and we got you.”
He was then handcuffed and led away.
Camerota immediately shared with the audience what had just transpired. She said, “If you’re just tuning in, you are watching our correspondent Omar Jimenez being arrested by state police in Minnesota. We’re not sure why our correspondent is being arrested.
Moments after, CNN aired an audio report from correspondent Josh Campbell, who was a few blocks away, and said he had been approached by police and after identifying himself as a CNN reporter was allowed to stay on the scene.
“Josh, it’s impossible not to note the difference,” Camerota said. “You are a white guy, Omar Jimenez identifies as black and Latino. …It’s just impossible not to note the difference here.”
Police told the crew they were being detained because they were told to move, and didn’t, one member of the CNN crew relayed to the network.
After about an hour after the incident, Jimenez was released and was back on the air, describing his treatment as “pretty cordial.”
“As far as the people that were leading me away, there was no animosity. …We were having a conversation about just how crazy this week has been for every part of this city.” According to CNN, Minnesota Gov. Tim Wlaz, who called the arrests “totally unacceptable and total inadvertent” apologized to the president of CNN, Jeff Zucker, for the arrest of Jimenez and his crew and called the situation unacceptable. Walz said he is working to get the crew released.
Although CNN disputes the claim, the state police crew–who were carrying identification and broadcasting live at the time–“were released once they were confirmed to be members of the media.
The Trump campaign also issued a statement regarding the arrests, writing that Walz and Democratic Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey “have completely lost control in Minneapolis in a catastrophic display of failed leadership.”
“The city is on fire & they outrageously arrested a CNN crew,” the campaign tweeted.
Mayor Frey & Gov Walz have completely lost control in Minneapolis in a catastrophic display of failed leadership.
The city is on fire & they outrageously arrested a CNN crew.@realDonaldTrump called in DOJ to investigate George Floyd’s death.
Clear-eyed justice must be served! https://t.co/QvA6zvYGuu
— Team Trump (Text TRUMP to 88022) (@TeamTrump) May 29, 2020
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