CNN's Omar Jimenez and crew arrested, released while covering protests over George Floyd death

CNN reporter Omar Jimenez was arrested while covering protests in Minneapolis, Minnesota.

During a live broadcast Friday, Jimenez and his crew were arrested on air by Minnesota State Patrol after identifying themselves and showing their press credentials.

In a re-played clip, the arrest was shown on camera.

"We are live on the air at the moment. This is the four of us, we are one team. Just put us back where you want us, just let us know. Wherever you want us, just let us know," Jimenez tells a row of police officers before an officer comes behind him with handcuffs. “Do you mind telling me why I’m under arrest, sir?"

Jimenez and his crew, who were covering the protests that were prompted by the death of George Floyd, were later released and spoke about the experience.

"Everyone was pretty cordial after," he said, saying he asked officers where he should stand while covering the protests in the coming days. After getting identification information from himself and his crew, he said "they eventually came back with our belongings… unclipped our handcuffs and that is when we were led out."

"There was no, 'Sorry, this is a big misunderstanding,' " he added.

"There was a moment, minutes after it happened where things started to sink in a little bit," he said. "I was just as confused as you."

Jimenez said the one thing that gave him a bit of comfort is that it was captured on live television.

"Because you can have people speak up for you without you saying anything, so that gave me a bit of comfort knowing you guys saw that was happening," he said. "You don't have to doubt my story… but it definitely was nerve racking at certain points."

The incident has sparked backlash on social media, including towards a statement posted to Twitter from the Minnesota State Patrol, which has garnered more than 12,000 responses and 7,000 retweets.

"In the course of clearing the streets and restoring order at Lake Street and Snelling Avenue, four people were arrested by State Patrol troopers, including three members of a CNN crew. The three were released once they were confirmed to be members of the media," the statement read.

Filmmaker Ava DuVernay criticized the statement on Twitter.

"That’s not what happened. This is a lie. We all saw it. This spin is erroneous and disingenuous," she tweeted in response. "You do your organization a disservice by even trying this nonsense. Stop tweeting and learn how to do your jobs properly. Start with reading the constitution."

CNN anchor Jim Sciutto also rebutted the statement.

"He showed his press credentials before he was arrested," he tweeted.

"They confirmed they were members of the media before they were arrested. Your tweet is a lie. The entire world saw what happened. Why do you think you can get away with lying?" user @DadScribe tweeted.

"Omar Jimenez identified himself as a journalist with CNN to you folks while reporting live. Who are you kidding?" user @cmclymer added.

In a press conference, Minnesota Governor Tim Walz said he takes "full responsibility" for the incident.

"There is absolutely no reason something like this should happen," he continued. "Calls were made immediately. This is a very public apology to that team."

CNN Communications team tweeted an earlier statement about the incident, calling it "a clear violation of their First Amendment rights. The authorities in Minnesota, incl. the Governor, must release the 3 CNN employees immediately."

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CNN later reported that that network's president talked to governor, who "deeply apologizes" calling what happened “totally unacceptable." "We want the media there to cover this," he added, saying he accepts full responsibility.

USA TODAY has reached out to the governor's office for comment.

CNN kept the cameras rolling while they heard from other contributors.

“It doesn’t make any sense to me… you can see his credentials,” Law Enforcement Analyst Charles Ramsey said. “It just makes no sense.”

Correspondent Josh Campbell, who was also at the protest, said he wondered if appearances played a part. Campbell is white and Jimenez is Black and Latino.

"I was treated much differently than he was," Campbell said.

Later in the broadcast, you could hear officers announce, "You are ordered to leave this area immediately."

Jimenez tweeted about the scene earlier today before his arrest.

"The images out of Minneapolis right now are unbelievable. Thousands in the streets, a police precinct on fire, fireworks being fired into those flames. All while we wait on whether charges will be filed against the officers involved in the death of George Floyd. #GeorgeFloyd," he tweeted.

Following the incident, Jimenez showed he was back to work in a tweeted photo.

Floyd, a 46-year-old black man, died in police custody Monday after a white Minneapolis police officer kneeled on his neck.

The horrifying bystander video of Floyd's death spread quickly on social media, showing the officer driving his knee into Floyd's neck as the handcuffed man repeatedly says he can't breathe.

Four officers involved in the incident have been fired, and an attorney representing Floyd's family, Ben Crump, has called for their arrests.

Contributing: Ryan W. Miller and Jordan Culver, USA TODAY

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This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: George Floyd protests: CNN's Omar Jimenez arrested in Minneapolis