The Minnesota ICE Watch group, which included the late Minneapolis protester Renee Good, distributed a comprehensive guide detailing ways to confront police in an effort to free arrested individuals. They referred to this as a “micro-intifada.”
In June, the “Dearrest Primer” was shared on Instagram by MN ICE Watch, a collective focused on obstructing law enforcement, including ICE agents, from performing their duties.
Local residents indicated that Renee Good frequently attended meetings with this group and received extensive training.
The manual, dated Spring 2024 on the cover, outlines four strategies to disrupt police arrests. It provides tips on grips for removing individuals in custody and suggests methods for physically maneuvering officers away from arrestees.
“To push off effectively, lower your center of gravity, widen your stance, and raise your head to increase your strength,” the guide instructs.
“If you need to break a hold, consider targeting the grip directly,” it adds, though it warns that such physical interactions with law enforcement may lead to assault charges in court.
The guide posits that the circumstances surrounding resisting an arrest can justify risks, claiming that even calm behavior could cause greater harm than taking decisive action against perceived repression.
One method suggests opening a law enforcement vehicle’s unlocked door to release a suspect, acknowledging that this act could be illegal.
The final tactic encourages surround the officer and demanding the release of the detained person, creating an atmosphere of pressure that the officer might find difficult to resist.
This particular approach, the manual claims, is inspired by tactics seen in Palestinian solidarity movements.
An illustration at the end of the manual shows demonstrators attempting to liberate a person from police custody, captioned, “Each release is a ‘shake-off,’ a micro-intifada that can inspire broader actions against oppressive control.”
Neighbors mentioned that Good, like many activists in the area, obtained training from ICE Watch.
The term “intifada” traditionally refers to specific historical events involving violent actions against Israeli civilians, resulting in significant casualties. The Anti-Defamation League noted that references to the Intifada often imply calls for violence against Israel and possibly against Jewish communities worldwide.
The manual warns of the serious changes that can follow an arrest, especially for targeted groups such as racial minorities, Muslims, LGBTQ individuals, and specific extremist factions, suggesting that reversing an arrest might be worth the risk.
