Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz on Friday apologized publicly after a CNN reporter and crew were arrested while covering chaotic protests over the death of George Floyd that have rocked his state. “There is absolutely no reason something like this should happen. Calls were made immediately. This is a very public apology to that team. It should not happen,” Walz said in a Friday news conference, adding that he took “full responsibility” for the early-morning incident. “I failed you last night in that.”
Expressing concern at protests in Minneapolis that prompted him on Thursday to activate the National Guard, Walz said he would not “patronize you as a white man” but he urged residents to “restore order” in the community in order for leaders to “tackle” the issues that have led to the unrest. “None of us can lift those voices, none of us can tackle these problems if anarchy reigns on the streets,” he said. Walz added he was in contact with the Hennepin County Attorney’s office and he expected “swift” justice to be carried out against the four officers involved in Floyd’s death. “It is my expectation that justice for the officers involved in this will be swift, that it will come in a timely manner, that it will be fair,” he said.
