National Guard Distributes Coffee and Donuts at Protest

On Sunday in St. Paul, members of the Minnesota National Guard were seen offering coffee and donuts to a group of anti-ICE protesters. This incident was captured on video, showing a security guard in a yellow vest serving refreshments from a vehicle. One National Guard member commented it was meant to showcase “safety and security.”

Earlier this month, the Minnesota National Guard had noted on X that when deployed to the Twin Cities, their troops would wear reflective vests to help differentiate them from other agencies dressed similarly.

The actions of the National Guard occurred shortly after a Border Patrol agent shot and killed a 37-year-old resident of Minneapolis, Alex J. Pretti. Reports indicated that Pretti allegedly confronted officers during a Homeland Security operation in south Minneapolis.

Initial statements from federal officials suggested that Pretti had approached officers holding a handgun and resisted attempts to disarm him. However, various eyewitness videos and testimonies that surfaced online have sparked discussions about whether Pretti was indeed threatening police when he was shot.

This incident followed closely on the heels of another troubling event in which ICE officers shot and killed 37-year-old Renee Nicole Good, who reportedly disrupted an operation and drove towards officers.

In the aftermath of Good’s shooting, federal prosecutors launched an investigation into allegations that Democratic officials, including Minnesota Governor Tim Walz and Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey, had encouraged anti-ICE protests and hindered law enforcement efforts.

In a strong statement on Sunday, Governor Walz urged President Trump to withdraw “3,000 untrained personnel” from Minnesota, suggesting that their presence could lead to more violence.

In response, President Trump acknowledged to the Wall Street Journal that his administration is evaluating actions following these recent shootings.