Social Media Calls out Minnesota State Patrol for Arresting CNN Reporter Despite Network Sharing Credentials

Social media is blasting Minnesota State Patrol after CNN correspondent Omar Jimenez and other [...]

By Allison Schonter

Social media is blasting Minnesota State Patrol after CNN correspondent Omar Jimenez and other members of the CNN crew were arrested live on air while reporting on the protests in Minneapolis, Minnesota, prompted by the killing of George Floyd. In a statement addressing the arrests early Friday morning, the Minnesota State Patrol seemed to suggest that they were unaware of the group's media credentials at the time of the arrest, despite that Jimenez and the others identified themselves as members of the media and reporters on scene for the network.

Jimenez, producer Bill Kirkos, and photojournalist Leonel Mendez were taken into police custody just after 6 a.m. ET as they were reporting near where a police precinct had been set on fire. Broadcast live, and quickly circulating across social media, Jimenez could be seen holding up his CNN badge, identifying himself as a reporter, and telling approaching officers that he and his crew "can move back to where you'd like." Two officers in riot gear then told Jimenez, "you are under arrest," though they did not give an explanation as to why.

Although Jimenez and the rest of the CNN crew were later released from police custody — immediately heading back into the heart of the protests — social media was outraged that they were arrested in the first place for committing a yet-to-be-announced crime. On Twitter, many slammed the Minnesota State Patrol, accusing them of lying in their statement addressing the arrests. Keep scrolling to see what Twitter had to say about Jimenez's arrest.

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