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.”

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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 news crew.

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.

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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.

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.

Jimenez and his crew were released and said the police were “not violent” and that one officer explained that he was simply “following orders” in arresting him. His commentary does seem to indicate the controversy revolved around the CNN crew being in an unauthorized location. Jimenez 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?”

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. “But 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.

This piece originally appeared in ThePoliticalInsider.com and is used by permission.

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