NABJ Condemns Arrest of Omar Jimenez, CNN Crew While Covering George Floyd protests
CNN reporter Omar Jimenez is arrested by Minnesota State Police Friday morning while reporting on the George Floyd riots. Photo courtesy of CNN
AC JosepH Media
MINNEAPOLIS — The National Association of Black Journalists Friday condemned the arrests of CNN reporter Omar Jimenez and his crew in Minneapolis Friday morning while covering the protests connected with the death of George Floyd.
According to Richard Prince’s Journal-isms, Jimenez was reporting live on CNN on an arrest that happened near a police precinct that protesters damaged. Police asked the television crew the move. Jimenez could be heard asking officers where they wanted the crew to move before they were arrested.
The crew were later freed and Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz apologized for the arrest.
“The National Association of Black Journalists (NABJ) condemns the arrests of CNN crew members, including reporter Omar Jimenez, who were simply doing their jobs and covering protests in Minneapolis this morning,” NABJ said in a statement.
The organization said the arrest took place even after Jimenez identified himself as a CNN reporter and that they were reporting live.
“It was unnecessary, and a violation of the first amendment,” said NABJ President Dorothy Tucker.
CNN said while a person of color was arrested, a white reporter also on the ground was not.
NABJ is the largest organization of African-American journalists in the country.
Feature photo courtesy of CNN.
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