CNN national correspondent Jason Carroll was detained by Los Angeles Police Department officers during a live television broadcast on Monday night, June 10, while covering anti-immigration enforcement protests in the city. The incident occurred as Carroll was reporting from a protest zone where police were attempting to clear demonstrators who had defied dispersal orders.
During anchor Laura Coates’ 11 p.m. broadcast, Carroll had just concluded a segment when officers in riot gear approached him. With his microphone still live, Carroll informed the studio that he was being restrained and said, “I am being detained.” Coates immediately responded to the unfolding situation, asking what was happening as viewers watched Carroll being led away with his hands behind his back.
Carroll later explained that he had approached an officer to identify himself as a CNN journalist when he was instructed to turn around and put his hands behind his back. The correspondent indicated that while officers did not place him in zip ties, they grabbed both his hands and escorted him away from the area. Police told Carroll he was being detained and removed from the zone, with one officer stating he would be arrested if he returned to the area.
The veteran reporter, who had been covering protests throughout the day, expressed surprise at the police action. Carroll noted that he typically encountered no issues with law enforcement during protest coverage, as officers usually recognized that press members were performing their duties. He characterized the detention as relatively low on the scale of risks journalists face while covering such events, though he acknowledged it was unexpected given his experience reporting from similar situations.
According to multiple reports, Carroll’s camera crew also faced detention during the incident. Deadline reported that two members of the crew were arrested, while other sources indicated they were briefly detained before being released without charges. The discrepancy in reports regarding whether crew members were formally arrested or simply detained reflects the fluid nature of the situation as it unfolded.
CNN issued a statement confirming the detention of its reporting team during the Los Angeles coverage. The network indicated that the situation was resolved quickly once the team presented their CNN credentials to law enforcement. A spokesperson emphasized that CNN would continue reporting on the unfolding events in Los Angeles despite the incident.
The detention occurred amid ongoing protests against federal immigration enforcement actions that began on Friday, June 7, and have continued for multiple days. The demonstrations were prompted by Immigration and Customs Enforcement raids targeting undocumented immigrants in the Los Angeles area. President Donald Trump had deployed 2,000 National Guard troops to the city and later announced an additional 2,000 guardsmen, along with 700 active-duty Marines, to address the unrest.
Carroll’s detention was part of a broader pattern of journalists encountering difficulties while covering the Los Angeles protests. On Sunday, June 9, Lauren Tomasi, a correspondent for Australia’s 9News, was struck by a rubber bullet while reporting live from the scene. British photojournalist Nick Stern required emergency surgery after being hit by a plastic bullet during the demonstrations, sustaining a leg wound despite wearing visible press credentials.
The Los Angeles Press Club, First Amendment Coalition, and Freedom of the Press Foundation led a coalition of 27 press and civil liberties organizations in writing to Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem. The groups expressed alarm over potential First Amendment violations against journalists covering the immigration enforcement protests. The coalition documented at least 24 instances of journalists being targeted by law enforcement between June 6 and June 8, with multiple media workers reporting injuries from less-than-lethal munitions.
Among the journalists affected were Southern California News Group’s Ryanne Mena, freelance journalists Anthony Cabassa and Sean Beckner-Carmitchel, The Southlander’s Ben Camacho, and LA Taco’s Lexis Olivier-Ray. The coalition emphasized that journalists play an essential democratic role as the public’s eyes and ears, particularly during controversial events requiring complete information coverage.
During the live broadcast, a person identifying himself as working for The New York Times offered Carroll video footage of the detention incident, stating the footage would be available if CNN needed it for future reference. This interaction highlighted the collaborative nature of news coverage during chaotic situations and the mutual support among journalists covering breaking news events.
The Los Angeles Police Department did not immediately provide detailed comments about the specific detention of Carroll and his crew. Representatives indicated the situation remained fluid and that comprehensive information was not immediately available for release. The department’s response reflected the ongoing nature of the protests and law enforcement’s efforts to manage crowd control while dealing with media presence in active zones.
Carroll, a Los Angeles-area native who began his television career in local news, demonstrated professionalism throughout the incident by continuing to report even while being detained. His ability to maintain communication with the studio and provide real-time updates on his situation exemplified the challenges journalists face when covering civil unrest and the importance of press freedom during such events.
