Over 50 protesters arrested during anti-ICE demonstration in Minneapolis
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At least 54 people were arrested Sunday during anti-Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) protests outside the Bishop Henry Whipple Federal Building in Minneapolis, law enforcement officials said.
The Hennepin County Sheriff’s Office said 38 people were cited and released, while one person was taken to jail. Minnesota State Patrol confirmed 15 more people were arrested.
The Hennepin County Sheriff’s Office said in a statement posted on Facebook that deputies issued a dispersal order after protesters blocked streets and access to local businesses, scattered glass on the road and threw rocks, ice chips and water bottles at law enforcement officers.
“This morning, our deputies issued a dispersal order at an unlawful assembly outside the Whipple Building after individuals blocked roadways, blocked access to local businesses, threw glass into the street, and threw rocks, ice chips, and water bottles at law enforcement officers, posing a serious public safety hazard,” the Hennepin County Sheriff’s Office said. “Arrests are being made.”
At least 54 people were reportedly arrested Sunday during anti-ICE protests outside the Bishop Henry Whipple Federal Building in Minneapolis. (Kerem Yücel/AFP via Getty Images)
Authorities emphasized that peaceful protests are constitutionally protected, but criminal behavior will not be tolerated.
“Freedom of expression and the right to peaceful assembly are rights,” the sheriff’s office said. “It is not endangering the public. Illegal activities, including road closures, deliberate creation of danger and aggressive behavior, will not be tolerated.”
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The Hennepin County Sheriff’s Office wrote that “illegal activities, including roadblocks, intentional endangerment, and aggressive behavior, will not be tolerated.” (Kerem Yücel/AFP via Getty Images)
The demonstration was the culmination of a week-long campaign titled “Bring on the Heat, Melt the ICE” by activists opposing ICE operations.
Organizers held a series of events focused on resisting immigration enforcement actions and calling for the abolition of ICE and the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), according to the website.
The protest comes amid a broader wave of anti-ICE demonstrations in Minnesota and across the country following several deadly shootings involving federal immigration officers in Minneapolis earlier this year, including the deaths of Renée Good and Alex Pretti.
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The protest comes amid a broader wave of anti-ICE activity in Minnesota. (Kerem Yücel/AFP via Getty Images)
The unrest also comes against the backdrop of political stalemate in Washington, where congressional Democrats have blocked DHS funding for more than two weeks in an effort to push ICE reforms.
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The Hennepin County Sheriff’s Office and DHS could not immediately be reached for comment.
Fox News’ Patrick McGovern and Fox News Digital’s Alex Miller contributed to this report.
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