CNN Reporter and Crew Arrested on Live TV While Reporting on Minneapolis Protests

While living on air, Omar Jiménez — who identifies as Black and Latino — was handcuffed and led away, together with his team. Here’s what happened.

MINNEAPOLIS (AP) — The Minnesota State Patrol on Friday arrested a CNN television crew as they reported on violent protests in Minneapolis following the death of George Floyd, a handcuffed black man who pleaded for air as a white police officer kneeled on his neck.

Atlanta-based CNN said that the crew, which included CNN reporter Omar Jiménez, was released later Friday morning.

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While living on air, Jiménez was handcuffed and led away. A producer and a photojournalist for CNN have also led away in handcuffs. While reporting the event CNN anchors said that Jimenez identifies as black and Hispanic.

CNN’s communications team earlier said on Twitter that the crew was arrested “for doing their jobs, despite identifying themselves — a clear violation of their First Amendment rights.”

The Minnesota State Patrol said on Twitter that the journalists were among four people arrested as troopers were “clearing the streets and restoring order.” The patrol said they “were released once they were confirmed to be members of the media.”

Late Thursday in Minneapolis, cheering protesters torched a police station that the department abandoned as three days of violent protests spread to nearby St. Paul and angry demonstrations flared across the U.S.

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