On Sunday, the Minnesota National Guard made a notable appearance in St. Paul, providing coffee and donuts to protesters rallying against ICE. This gesture was captured on video, showing guardsmen in bright yellow vests distributing the refreshments from the back of a vehicle. One of the National Guard members explained to WCCO-TV that the act was meant to symbolize “safety and security.”
Earlier this month, the Minnesota National Guard took to the platform X to inform the public that if their forces were deployed in the Twin Cities, they would don reflective vests to distinguish themselves from other agencies that might have similar uniforms.
The appearance of the guardsmen came just a day after a tragic incident involving a Border Patrol agent, who fatally shot 37-year-old Alex J. Pretti in Minneapolis. Pretti, a resident of the city, allegedly confronted officers during a Department of Homeland Security operation in South Minneapolis.
Federal authorities initially reported that Pretti had approached the agents armed with a handgun and resisted attempts to disarm him.
Members of the Minnesota National Guard were seen handing out coffee and donuts to anti-ICE protesters in St. Paul on Sunday, Jan. 25, 2026. (Anthony Cabassa via Storyful)
Federal officials initially claimed Pretti approached agents with a handgun and resisted disarmament.
Bystander video and eyewitness accounts circulating online raised questions about that version of events and whether Pretti was threatening officers when he was shot.
The National Guard, wearing yellow vests, were seen in St. Paul one day after the fatal Border Patrol shooting of Minneapolis resident Alex Pretti. (Anthony Cabassa via Storyful)
Pretti’s death happened just weeks after an ICE officer fatally shot 37-year-old Renee Nicole Good while she allegedly blocked an operation in Minneapolis and drove toward the officer.
After the shooting of Good, Democratic officials, including Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz and Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey, encouraged anti-ICE protesters to assemble, prompting a probe by federal prosecutors for the alleged impeding of law enforcement efforts.
One National Guard member described their actions as a “demonstration of safety and security.” (Anthony Cabassa via Storyful)
Walz on Sunday called for President Donald Trump to pull out “his 3,000 untrained agents” from Minnesota “before they kill another American in the street” following Pretti’s death.
Trump confirmed to The Wall Street Journal on Sunday that his administration is “reviewing everything” in the wake of the latest shooting.
