WATCH: Minnesota Governor Issues Public Apology to CNN For ‘Inexcusable’ Arrest of Reporter
Gov. Tim Walz (D-MN) issued a personal apology to CNN and took blame for reporter Omar Jimenez’s “inexcusable” arrest by police without explanation Friday morning while on live television.
“I take full responsibility. There is absolutely no reason something like this should happen,” Walz said. “I am a teacher by trade, and I have spent my time as governor highlighting the need to be as transparent as possible and have the press here. I failed you last night in that.”
“In a situation like this, even if you’re clearing an area, we have to ensure that there is a safe spot for journalism to tell the story,” Walz added. “The issue here is trust. The community that’s down there that’s terrorized by this, if they see a reporter being arrested, their assumption is something is going to happen that they don’t want to be seen. That is unacceptable.”
During his fiery press conference, Walz condemned the actions Minneapolis police took that led to the death of George Floyd, and reiterated that his top priority is the current safety and well-being of Minnesota residents as he called for looting and burnings to end.
“I will not patronize you as a white man after living those experiences of how very difficult that is, but I’m asking you to help us,” Walz said. “So I want to just call out very, very clearly, as we put a presence on the street to restore order, it is to open that space, to seek justice and heal what happened.”
Walz was adamant that he supported protest and wanted justice for Floyd, whose arrest by four officers that ultimately took the 59-year-old’s life, but said he won’t let a third night of uncontrollable protests happen.
“The very tools that we need to use to get control, to make sure that buildings aren’t burned and that the rule of law doesn’t collapse are those very institutional tools that have led to that grief and pain,” Walz said. “I understand clearly there is no trust in many of our communities.”
Watch above, via CNN.
