MINNEAPOLIS — A Minnesota activist, Nekima Levy Armstrong, made headlines after capturing her own arrest on video during a protest against Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) at a church. The protest coincided with the service of an ICE official who also pastors there.
The incident gained further traction when the White House shared a manipulated image of Levy Armstrong, depicting her in distress while handcuffed. In response, she released her footage, recorded by her husband, which showed the arrest in real-time.
During the seven-minute clip, Levy Armstrong remained composed, questioning the actions of federal agents who approached her while asserting her stance against intimidation tactics. Because I refuse to be silent in the face of brutality from ICE, she stated during the arrest.
Levy Armstrong deemed the framing from the White House as a significant distortion, calling it part of a broader campaign of political persecution against dissenting voices. She articulated her concerns in a follow-up message, emphasizing the struggle against what she termed 'authoritarianism and fascism.'
The Department of Homeland Security has yet to respond to media inquiries regarding the incident. The video release not only challenges the administration's narrative but also highlights the complexities surrounding immigration enforcement in the United States.
