CNN correspondent Omar Jimenez and his camera crew were arrested during a live broadcast as they were attempting to cover riots in Minneapolis over the death of George Floyd.
Floyd’s death has sparked national outrage after a video surfaced showing an officer kneeling on his neck while he repeatedly yelled, “I can’t breathe.”
Violence and chaos have erupted in the city this week, with looters raiding businesses and burning buildings to the ground.
Jimenez clearly identified himself to police and told them he would be willing to move wherever they instructed. Still, officers proceeded to handcuff him and later the entire crew.
Minnesota police arrest CNN reporter and camera crew as they report from protests in Minneapolis https://t.co/oZdqBti776 pic.twitter.com/3QbeTjD5ed
— CNN (@CNN) May 29, 2020
RELATED: Tucker Carlson Slams ‘Dangerous’ CNN For Calling Violent Minneapolis Rioters ‘Protesters’
Not Smart
State police hauling away a reporter live on air isn’t a good look for law enforcement in Minneapolis.
And if you think the left is going to have a field day by turning this into a racial issue – on top of the racial issue they were already covering – then, of course, you’d be right.
Reporting while black https://t.co/1a4ENfgN36
— Julia Ioffe (@juliaioffe) May 29, 2020
there are two cnn reporters in minneapolis. see if you can guess which one just got arrested. pic.twitter.com/JAsmNT1GDx
— Oliver Willis (@owillis) May 29, 2020
Even CNBC made sure to identify Jimenez as a “black reporter.”
The problem with this argument is that the producer who was also arrested is not black. Nor are the camera crew.
But police officers just handed the race-baiting national media a gift, and they’re going to exploit it in every imaginable way.
.@cnn now openly reporting that they believe their reporter Omar Jiminez was arrested because he is black. They are speaking with their white reporter, Josh Campbell, who is reporting only a block away and was approached by Police but not arrested. pic.twitter.com/qOvMH2GlyC
— Kirstin Ferguson (@kirstinferguson) May 29, 2020
RELATED: Joy Behar Claims President Trump is Partly Responsible For George Floyd’s Death
Fanning Racial Flames
CNN issued a statement demanding that the Minnesota governor intervene and release the crew.
“A CNN reporter [and] his production team were arrested this morning in Minneapolis for doing their jobs, despite identifying themselves – a clear violation of their First Amendment rights,” a statement reads.
Tim Walz, the Democrat governor of Minnesota, said he “deeply apologizes” for the arrest.
Released CNN reporter Omar Jiminez now back on air; says police weren’t violent but they told him they were ‘following orders’ in arresting him pic.twitter.com/HLa45sVQgw
— Julian Druker (@Julian5News) May 29, 2020
Jimenez has since been released and said the police were “not violent” and one officer explained that he was simply “following orders” in arresting him.
His commentary does seem to indicate the controversy revolved around them being in an unauthorized location.
Jiminez reported that he said to one officer, “Hey man, we’re going to be out here for the next few days, what is the guidance where we should be?”
#Tucker, describing CNN in a nutshell: “Thankfully almost everyone in America wants to coexist peacefully, but news organizations like CNN do not want that and that’s why everyday they work hard to fan racial resentment to make different groups dislike and hate one another.” pic.twitter.com/LnQBCgq0go
— Curtis Houck (@CurtisHouck) May 28, 2020
Fox News host Tucker Carlson recently blasted CNN for insisting on calling rioters in Minneapolis “protesters.”
“Almost everybody in America wants to coexist peacefully,” Carlson explained. “News organizations like CNN do not want that, and that’s why every day they work hard to fan racial resentment to make different groups distrust and hate one another.”
Arresting a reporter live on air is a questionable decision especially when the story they are covering involves law enforcement. The media pretending this is yet another example of racist cops will be equally as idiotic.
Sadly, Minneapolis will continue to burn while irresponsible parties play games.
