A CNN reporter and his camera crew were needlessly arrested by Minnesota state troopers on Friday morning while covering the riots in Minneapolis.
State police handcuffed CNN correspondent Omar Jimenez, his producer, and his cameraman while Jimenez was reporting live on a street near the Minneapolis Police Department’s 3rd Precinct headquarters, which had been set on fire by violent criminals masquerading as protesters. The crew was released about an hour later, according to CNN, and Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz apologized on behalf of law enforcement. But we should be asking why this arrest happened in the first place. Were Jimenez and his crew crossing police lines? Were they engaging in illegal behavior alongside looters?
No and no. Jimenez had clearly identified himself as a reporter, and he said multiple times that they’d be willing to move wherever officers needed them. But the officers did not listen, grabbed Jimenez by the arm, and handcuffed him on-air. This was unjustified, unprovoked behavior from Minnesota law enforcement, which is already facing a crisis of credibility.
Minnesota police arrest CNN reporter and camera crew as they report from protests in Minneapolis https://t.co/IY0H1Lc77E pic.twitter.com/s9XmwVfabP
— New Day (@NewDay) May 29, 2020
The media have the right to report freely, and any infringement on that right should be unanimously condemned. There was no legal basis for this arrest. It was unacceptable and unconstitutional, and the Minnesota state troopers involved owe CNN not just an explanation, but an apology.
Minnesota law enforcement’s primary responsibility right now is to restore order and trust in a city that has lost both in the wake of George Floyd’s death. Arresting members of the press is not the way to do that. Indeed, it will likely make things worse.
