Last Saturday, a month after the death of Renee Good, protests against ICE in Minneapolis took an unusual turn. Protesters began shaking sex toys, which they soon tossed at others in the crowd who feebly chanted, “I’m on your side.”
The energetic group first launched objects over the fence surrounding the Bishop Henry Whipple Federal Building. Later, police gathered the discarded sex toys lining the streets while chants against immigration raids in Minnesota echoed around them.
Amid the chaos, some protesters were recorded opposing ICE, even though they were seen hurling what looked like dildos at a passerby’s pickup truck. This driver, displaying an anti-ICE sign reading “NUREMBERG 2.0,” was heard shouting, “Do you see my f***ing sign?” as the crowd closed in on his vehicle.
Trying to diffuse the situation, he pulled out more placards, including one saying “We All Have Eyes,” but this didn’t seem to help much. Several protesters continued to strike the hood of his truck with their dildos.
In a brief video shared online, one protester approached the driver, grabbed a sign from him, and yelled, “Hey, give me back the sign.” Near the end, two other protesters intervened, revealing to the crowd that the driver was actually supportive of their cause, but the situation escalated regardless.
This peculiar protest tactic is part of a larger trend seen in weeks of unrest in Minneapolis. It seems that sex and adult retailers have unexpectedly become symbols of resistance amidst federal enforcement.
Protests were also connected to the January 7 shooting of Good, who was 37, and the subsequent death of a veteran nurse, Alex Preti, in a separate encounter with immigration agents.
A woman was spotted picking up a sex toy thrown at her as protests continued in front of the federal immigration and detention complex. Authorities noted that the rally intensified, resulting in protesters throwing ice cubes and bottles at police stationed nearby.
Due to escalating tensions, authorities declared an unlawful assembly, leading to the arrest of at least 42 individuals. Local law enforcement reported that while many protested peacefully, some engaged in illegal activities, damaging property and hurling ice blocks.
One deputy was reportedly hit in the head, and a police vehicle’s windshield was broken during the unrest.
The protest served to mark one month since Good was shot while attempting to flee from immigration officials on a snowy street in Minneapolis. Footage captured moments before the shooting showed officers approaching her vehicle.
The Trump administration had labeled Good as a threat to law enforcement, a position that was contested by both state and local officials.
Three weeks later, Preti was fatally shot during a street confrontation after the authorities found her licensed firearm.
On Saturday, the events included a vigil with singing and prayers, attended by hundreds in a nearby park. Good’s partner issued a public statement through her lawyer, indicating, “Renee was not the first person to be killed, and she will not be the last.”
Counter-demonstrators also made an appearance, driving by the protest in a U-Haul truck while masked individuals allegedly fired paintballs and pepper balls into the crowd, according to eyewitnesses and videos circulating online.
Federal immigration operations in the Twin Cities have persisted for weeks, with protests escalating around Whippleville nearly every day.
