Louis Nelson of POLITICO –
Police in Minnesota arrested a CNN news crew Friday morning as it was live on the air, handcuffing reporter Omar Jimenez and leading him away even after he produced his media credentials.
Jimenez was quickly released and was back on CNN’s air less than 90 minutes later.
Officers refused to answer Jimenez’s question as to why he was being arrested as he was led away in handcuffs. The remaining three members of the CNN crew were arrested soon after.
Jimenez, who is black, was in Minnesota to report on protests and riots in the wake of the death of George Floyd, a 46-year-old black man who died after being detained by a Minneapolis police officer who kneeled on Floyd’s neck for several minutes. Floyd, left motionless by the officer’s actions, was carried away on a gurney and later died.
