Outrage as black CNN reporter arrested by Minnesota police while his white colleague was left alone

Live footage from CNN showed a black and Latinx reporter, Oscar Jimenez, getting arrested at protests in Minneapolis.

Over the past two days, protests in Minneapolis over the death of George Floyd, an unarmed black man, have intensified. As a CNN crew was covering the events, state police approached Jimenez who showed them his CNN credentials and told them he was a reporter.

Jimenez continued to report while waiting for an order to move – a state police officer then arrested Jimenez, his producer and photojournalist. The camera was still rolling – held by a police officer – as the crew were led away.

Another CNN reporter, Josh Campbell, was also on the scene. He recounted that he was also approached by police, at which point he showed them his CNN credentials and was allowed to remain where he was.

“I was treated much differently than Jimenez was,” said Campbell to CNN. Campbell is white.

Other people pointed out that Jimenez had been arrested, while the police officers alleged to be responsible for Floyd’s death had been fired.

Reports from Minneapolis also indicate that there was a police presence outside the home of Derek Chauvin, the police officer identified as pressing his knee into Floyd’s neck, for his protection.

CNN’s version of events says that the police told the crew they were being detained because they were told to move, and they weren’t moving.

Later, Minnesota Governor Tim Walz apologised to Jeff Zucker, the president of CNN, and took ‘full responsibility’.

The Minneapolis State Patrol released a statement via Twitter, which CNN’s Communications Teams then disputed.

Jimenez, his producer Bill Kirkos and photojournalist Leonel Mendez were released an hour later, downtown in the city of Minneapolis.

He reported live from outside the building a few minutes later, and said, "We're doing OK, now. There were a few uneasy moments there.”