Several individuals were arrested in Minneapolis during the night after a group confronted federal agents at a hotel, reacting to the shooting of an American citizen by Border Patrol agents over the weekend. To manage the situation, federal agents resorted to using tear gas and flashbangs to disperse the crowd.
Some Border Patrol agents pointed rifles at protesters and media members near the hotel, where it was believed Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents were located. Footage captured the noise of whistles and bells as protesters attempted to force their way through the hotel’s entrance.
In one moment, an agent asked reporters, “Where’s the local PD?”
Ultimately, federal agents pushed back against the crowd, threatening to arrest both the agitators and journalists. One video even shows an agent pushing a reporter to the ground.
During the encounter, some protesters used shovels to remove signs from the hotel while others threw snowballs as security guards attempted to block the entrance. Eventually, the group ceased their attempts to enter but lingered at the door as officers shut it.
The Minnesota Department of Public Safety said the arrests were due to the demonstration not being “peaceful.” They noted that the Minnesota State Patrol and Department of Natural Resources were called in to assist the local police regarding damage to hotel property. In their communication, authorities explained that the demonstration had escalated, and federal agents had arrived unexpectedly, employing chemical irritants to clear the group.
This confrontation follows the shooting of 37-year-old Alex Preti, an American citizen, who was killed by a Border Patrol agent while documenting a federal immigration operation in Minneapolis on Saturday. Witness testimony and video indicate that Preti, an ICU nurse, was attempting to assist a woman who had fallen amid chaos, only to be confronted by agents who then retrieved his legally owned firearm, leading to the firing of fatal shots.
Recent unrest in the city has also been linked to the earlier shooting of Renee Nicole Good by ICE agents.
