A CNN correspondent made part of news after being detained by police in Los Angeles while reporting live on Monday night as part of Laura Coates Live.
This was on the ongoing protests, causing momentary confusion for his colleagues in the studio.
Jason Carroll, a national correspondent for CNN, was escorted with his hands held behind his back beyond a police perimeter and informed he could not return to the scene.
Carroll later clarified that he was not arrested, and his hands were not restrained.
CNN Jason Carroll’s arrest
“They didn’t put me in zip ties, but they did take hold of both my hands and escorted me to the side, saying, ‘you are being detained,’” Carroll recounted.
Authorities had asked him to provide some information during the interaction. At the time, law enforcement was in the process of detaining numerous protesters who had ignored a dispersal order.
Carroll had been covering the demonstrations throughout the day before the incident occurred.
Speaking later to CNN, he explained that he had approached an officer, identified himself as a journalist, and stated which media outlet he represented before being stopped.
“I was not expecting that because we had been reporting all day, covering different protests, and generally, the police understand the press is doing its job,” he said.
As Carroll was being detained, CNN anchor Laura Coates expressed confusion live on air, saying, “Jason? What’s going on? I hear you. I think Jason Carroll is being… what’s… what happened, Jason?”
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“I am being detained,” Carroll stated. “I’m being detained, Laura.”
Caroll was also captured on air asking the police if he was being arrested.
“I’m not being arrested, correct, officers?”
The protests in Los Angeles began on June 6 and extended into June 9, marking the fourth consecutive day of unrest.
Cause of the ongoing protests
The demonstrations, sparked by opposition to immigration enforcement actions, included isolated incidents of violence and looting.
In reaction to the escalating situation, President Donald Trump authorised the deployment of 2,000 National Guard troops to Los Angeles, despite not receiving approval from California Governor Gavin Newsom.
Los Angeles County has sanctuary policies in place, meaning local law enforcement does not typically assist in federal immigration operations.
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Meanwhile, journalists covering the protests also faced risk as Australian 9News reporter, Lauren Tomasi, was hit by a rubber bullet on June 8.
The network confirmed that both she and her cameraman were safe and would continue reporting.
“This incident highlights the real dangers journalists face while reporting on protests and emphasizes the critical role they play in delivering vital information,” 9News stated.
Additionally, British photographer Nick Stern reported undergoing emergency surgery after being struck in the thigh by a plastic bullet.
“I was clearly identified as press,” he told the BBC.
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