A group of anti-ICE protesters mistakenly targeted software engineers during lunch in Minneapolis after misidentifying them as federal agents, as seen in a video.
The incident reportedly occurred at Clancy’s Deli when one participant in an anti-ICE group chat received an alert about the presence of plainclothes officers at the restaurant.
“My friend was in shock,” recalled Lee, one of the engineers. “He lives nearby, has eaten there before, and suddenly we’re being accused of being ICE.”
After the alert was shared, dozens of protesters rushed to the deli, and one engineer described the scene by saying he felt “like an animal in a zoo” as he saw them peering through the windows.
Once the engineers exited the deli, a loud crowd met them, blowing whistles and shouting insults.
“You fucking bootlickers!” yelled one protester over the noise.
“Get out of our neighborhood!” shouted another.
“If you’re not with us, you’re against us!” someone else added.
Perplexed by the situation, one engineer tried to clarify their identity, saying, “We build custom apps for many companies in Minnesota and across the country.” The response from a nearby protester was, “Then why are you filming us?” to which the engineer countered, “Because you’re filming us!”
Lee mentioned that some protesters labeled them as “pedophiles,” and the main organizer of the protest claimed they deserved harassment for being “white, privileged men.”
One engineer expressed concern for his safety, remarking he felt he might get shot.
“We don’t just tell extremists that some random customer is an ICE agent,” he stated. “That’s how people get hurt.”
Lee noted that while his tech friends have a variety of political opinions, experiencing such a chaotic protest could prompt some of them to reconsider their views.
The owners of Clancy’s Deli, which is closed on Mondays, were unavailable for comment.
