CNN’s “New Day” on Friday morning cut to correspondent Omar Jimenez as he reported on the scene in Minneapolis after protests turned violent. During the middle of the broadcast, Jimenez and his crew of a cameraman and a producer were all arrested by Minnesota State Patrol.
Jimenez, speaking with members of law enforcement, said, “Just let us know. Wherever you want us, we will go. We’re just getting out of your way when you were advancing through the intersection. Just let us know, and we’ve got you. This is the scene here playing out in Minneapolis. This is part of the advanced police presence that we saw come over the course of really minutes when the local police showed up at the fire department or with the fire department, I should say, on the building we showed you that was burning. This is among the state patrol unit that was advancing up the street, scattering the protesters at that point for people to clear the area. And so we walked away.”
An officer then told Jimenez, “You’re under arrest.
“I’m sorry?” the reporter asked.
“You’re under arrest,” the officer reiterated.
“OK. Do you mind telling me why I’m under arrest, sir? Why am I under arrest, sir?” Jimenez asked.
Members of the camera crew then tell the officers they are with CNN, and it is a live broadcast.
As the scene continued to unfold, the officers arrested other members of the crew. Another member from CNN on the scene told “New Day” they identified themselves to the police as being journalists and were told to stay in a certain section but were arrested while following orders.
“We’re going to need more information from the police as to what occurred,” the CNN employee stated.
Almost two hours later, after the incident seen on CNN, Minnesota State Patrol tweeted out the three CNN employees that were taken into custody were “released once they were confirmed to be members of the media.”
Follow Trent Baker on Twitter @MagnifiTrent