In the early morning hours of Friday, May 29, 2020, amidst the George Floyd protests in Minneapolis, a CNN Correspondent and his crew were arrested on a street south of downtown Minneapolis while giving a live television report. Omar Jimenez, the CNN correspondent, was reporting near the police precinct building that was set on fire earlier. Mr. Jimenez was holding his CNN badge and had identified himself and his team as CNN reporters. The news crew was respectfully reporting. Nevertheless, Mr. Jimenez and his two colleagues were placed under arrest in the middle of their live report by a Minnesota State Patrol officer. They were not told why they were being arrested.
According to Minnesota law, when a person is being arrested, upon request, they have a right to know why they are being arrested. Failure of law enforcement to notify them as to why they are being arrested is a gross misdemeanor according to Minnesota Statute 611.01.
Based on the video footage that captured this entire incident, the CNN news crew did not commit a public offense and when the reporter asked why he was being arrested the state patrol officer did not tell them why they were being placed under arrest. These CNN employees were released from custody approximately an hour after being arrested. Nonetheless, the process in which they were arrested was a violation of Minnesota Law.
Remember that if you ever face a similar situation or are placed under arrest for a crime you did not obviously commit in the presence of an officer, you have a right to know why you are being arrested.