United States: After the arrest of a CNN Team in Minneapolis, RSF Calls on the Police to Review Their Policy on the Protection of Journalists

Reporters Without Borders (RSF) strongly condemns the arrest of a CNN team during the demonstrations in Minneapolis (Minnesota) and recalls that it constitutes a violation of the journalists’ right to the first amendment. The organization requests the authorities to ensure that such an unconstitutional act does not happen again.

Several members of a team from the CNN news network , including correspondent Oscar Jimenez , were arrested by Minnesota state police on May 29 in Minneapolis . Journalists covered protests over the death of an unarmed black man, George Floyd, who was detained by police on May 25.

Oscar Jimenez, cameraman Leonel Mendez and producer Bill Kirkos were arrested at 5 a.m. while filming live near a burned-out police station. The team was clearly identified as belonging to the media, and the CNN badgeby Oscar Jimenez was perfectly visible. According to a member of the team, the police justified their arrest to the journalists by saying that they had not moved when asked to do so. Now the live broadcast shows the team declaring to the officers: “We will put ourselves where you want so as not to interfere. The journalists were released an hour later. The Governor of Minnesota has since apologized to CNN President Jeff Zucker.

“The arrest of journalists on American soil is a shocking incident that has become all too common during protests in the United States, a country that offers one of the best protections for the press in the world,” said Dokhi Fassihian, RSF USA office manager. “ Covering a demonstration is not a crime, but public service work. RSF is delighted that the team was quickly released and that the governor apologized, but reminds that this type of event should not happen again. Minnesota police and all police services in the United States should review their policies on this and the training of law enforcement officials on press rights so that the first amendment is met. ”

The United States ranks 45 ^th out of 180 countries in the RSF 2020 World Press Freedom Index .