The Minneapolis police chief has voiced strong criticism of federal immigration agents following a chaotic scene involving protesters and an attempted arrest of a woman. In a video circulating online, onlookers can be heard pleading with Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents to release the woman, who many claimed was pregnant and struggling to breathe while an officer knelt on her back.
Conflicts have been rising in the Minneapolis-St. Paul area as the federal crackdown on immigration intensifies, particularly affecting the Somali community, the largest in the nation. The incident, which occurred in a neighborhood close to a Somali business district, drew attention to the aggressive tactics used by ICE during operations.
During a news conference, Police Chief Brian O’Hara stated that local police were called to assist federal agents, but upon arriving, they did not witness any violence towards the officers. O'Hara emphasized the city’s commitment to de-escalation tactics, contrasting this with the perceived actions of federal authorities. “We have been training our officers for the last five years very, very intensely on de-escalation,” O’Hara remarked. “But unfortunately, that is often not what we are seeing from other agencies in the city.”
Federal officials countered the criticisms by claiming that the actions were necessary due to protesters allegedly throwing rocks and assaulting agents. Two people have been charged with assaulting federal officers amidst the turmoil.
As tensions persist, notable community figures, including former Minnesota legislator Hodan Hassan, expressed concerns over the worsening tactics employed by ICE, suggesting that initial operations were less aggressive but have escalated over time. The ongoing altercation is reminiscent of previous incidents that have sparked national debates about police violence and civil rights, most notably the murder of George Floyd.
