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CNN team arrested by police released
New York (CNN Business) - When a journalist is arrested in a protest, the free and fair collection of news is also arrested.
That's one reason why these press freedom violations are relatively rare in the United States, and why Friday's brief arrest of a CNN team in Minneapolis was so egregious.
“The police cannot prevent journalists from covering protests if journalists are in a place where the public is allowed, and they do not interrupt or interfere with law enforcement. Simply being around a protest or other newsworthy event is not a crime, ”states the Committee of Reporters for Press Freedom in its guide to cover protests.
CNN team arrested by police releasedThe live video of correspondent Omar Jiménez and the CNN team showed that they were not interfering with the police.
When a phalanx of officers approached his live shooting location, Jiménez is clearly heard saying, "We can go back wherever you want ... We're getting out of your way ... Wherever you want us, we'll go."
Despite this, Jiménez was detained along with producer Bill Kirkos and photojournalist Leonel Méndez.
The reporters committee guide states that "the police cannot arrest journalists in retaliation for negative coverage or to avoid reporting on a public demonstration."
MIRA: CNN team that was arrested while covering Minneapolis protests released
But for many viewers who saw the arrest live, that's exactly what it looked like.
CNN's attorneys and executives immediately worked to secure his release. The president of CNN Worldwide contacted Minnesota Governor Tim Walz, who apologized for the violation and took responsibility. The team was released approximately an hour after their arrest.
The Friday morning episode had some echoes of the Ferguson, Missouri case, where numerous journalists were detained while covering protests in 2014.
At the time, the American Society of News Publishers called it a "top-down effort to restrict" First Amendment rights. "For every journalist they arrest, every image they block, every citizen they censor, yet another will write, photograph and speak," the group said.
In one of his public statements about the riots, President Barack Obama reaffirmed his support for journalists on the ground. "Our constitutional rights to speak freely, assemble and report in the press must be monitored, especially at times like these," Obama said.
In some cases, Ferguson's arrests were attributed to misunderstanding. The series of arrests turned out to be embarrassing for the police, and four of the journalists sued St. Louis County. In a 2016 settlement, the county agreed to "adopt policy changes that address the issues raised by this lawsuit."
Since then, investigators with the US Press Freedom Tracker. USA They have recounted a handful of other cases of journalists detained while covering protests.
This was the arrest of Omar Jiménez:
CNN team arrested during protestsThe most recent case, in March 2019, occurred in Sacramento, California. Darrell Steinberg, the mayor of Sacramento, said that "no matter the reason for the dispersal order, no member of the press should be arrested for doing his job."
Walz also expressed regret for the episode. After the journalists were released, Walz told Zucker: “I will publicly address what happened this morning and apologize to the team. You are essential to our democracy and your ability to inform should not be hampered. "
Protests
