Minnesota anti-ICE agitators swarm, confront federal agents during enforcement operations
Anti-U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agitators were seen surging and confronting federal agents during immigration enforcement operations in Minneapolis on Tuesday, as tensions continue to rise in the Twin Cities following the death of Renee Nicole Good last week.
Video from the hectic scene shows dozens of agitators stepping into the path of immigration agents’ vehicles, positioning themselves near and in front of them as officers attempted to push through the crowd.
Agents could be seen deploying tear gas and pepper spray in an effort to disperse the crowd and carve out an exit route.
As the scene unfolded, agitators could be heard chanting anti-fascist slogans, shouting profanities, blowing whistles and honking vehicle horns in what appeared to be an attempt to disrupt the operation and drown out commands from law enforcement.
"Day in and day out we will fight the fascists," one young man could be heard shouting while recording the scene on his cellphone.
"This is Minneapolis, and we will not lose," he added.
Others could be heard encouraging others over bullhorns and congratulating each other for disrupting law enforcement.
In one instance, a man was seen standing in the middle of the road with his hands in the air, verbally taunting agents to "do it now if you’re going to do it." He was later seen wiping pepper spray from his face with water.
In a separate local incident, agitators attempted to interfere with federal agents as they sought to arrest at least one suspect, closing in on the operation and forcing agents to work within a tight crowd. Agitators there too shouted obscenities at agents, blew whistles and honked vehicle horns.
On Monday night, federal agents fired tear gas and rubber bullets after agitators hurled fireworks at them outside a federal building in the city.
The Department of Homeland Security said that more than 2,000 arrests have been made in Minnesota since December as part of what ICE has described as its largest enforcement operation in the state.
ICE officials on Saturday released a shocking list of the "worst of the worst" criminal illegal immigrants arrested during their recent surge. ICE officials said those arrested during the surge included convicted murderers, child rapists, pedophiles, domestic abusers and other violent offenders.
The unrest comes as Minnesota, joined by the cities of Minneapolis and St. Paul, filed a lawsuit Monday seeking to halt or limit a surge of federal immigration enforcement in the Twin Cities.