On Sunday, authorities reported the arrest of at least 54 individuals during demonstrations targeting Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) near the Bishop Henry Whipple Federal Building in Minneapolis.
The Hennepin County Sheriff’s Office revealed that 38 of those arrested were cited and subsequently released, while one person faced jail booking. Meanwhile, the Minnesota State Patrol accounted for 15 additional arrests.
According to a Facebook statement from the Hennepin County Sheriff’s Office, officers issued orders to disperse after protesters allegedly obstructed streets, hindered access to nearby businesses, and littered the roadway with glass. Protesters also reportedly hurled rocks, chunks of ice, and water bottles at officers.
“This morning, deputies responded to an unlawful assembly outside the Whipple Building, where individuals blocked roadways, impeded business access, and threw hazardous objects at law enforcement,” stated the Hennepin County Sheriff’s Office. “The situation posed a significant public safety risk, leading to several arrests.”
The protests against ICE outside the Whipple Building resulted in at least 54 arrests, according to reports. (Kerem Yucel/AFP via Getty Images)
Officials reiterated their support for the constitutional right to peaceful protest but stressed that illegal activities would not be permitted.
“Freedom of speech and peaceful assembly is a right,” the sheriff’s office said. “Endangering the public is not. Unlawful activity including blocking roads, intentionally creating hazards and assaultive behavior will not be tolerated.”
The Hennepin County Sheriff’s Office wrote that “unlawful activity including blocking roads, intentionally creating hazards and assaultive behavior will not be tolerated.” (Kerem Yucel/AFP via Getty Images)
The demonstration marked the culmination of a weeklong campaign dubbed “Bring the Heat, Melt the ICE,” organized 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 its website.
The protest comes amid a broader wave of anti-ICE demonstrations in Minnesota and across the country, following multiple fatal shootings involving federal immigration agents in Minneapolis earlier this year, including the deaths of Renée Good and Alex Pretti.
The protest comes amid a broader wave of anti-ICE activity in Minnesota. (Kerem Yucel/AFP via Getty Images)
The unrest also unfolds against the backdrop of a political standoff in Washington, where congressional Democrats have blocked DHS funding for more than two weeks in an effort to push ICE reforms.
The Hennepin County Sheriff’s Office and DHS could not be immediately reached for comment.
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