In a dramatic scene at a St. Paul, Minnesota, dining establishment, federal law enforcement officers found themselves compelled to exit Cancun Mexican Grill & Cantina after facing a barrage of expletives and demands from fellow diners urging them to vacate the premises. The incident unfolded on Sunday and quickly gained attention as patrons vehemently expressed their discontent.
Video footage captured the tense moments as the federal agents maneuvered through the restaurant, accompanied by a chorus of angry patrons who trailed behind, hurling insults and documenting the encounter on their smartphones. Voices in the crowd were notably explicit, with one individual audibly questioning, “What the f— is wrong with y’all?” Another patron chimed in, “No wonder you’ve got to f—— wear a mask, you f—— pieces of s—-,” underscoring the heated atmosphere.
This confrontation unfolded as federal agents stood their ground outside the Bishop Henry Whipple Federal Building in St. Paul. The tension at the restaurant seemed to reflect broader sentiments as protests simmered in the vicinity. Visuals from the day, captured by photographers such as Octavio Jones, depict the agents maintaining their post amidst growing public dissent.
Within the restaurant, customers vocalized their concerns, questioning the agents’ presence and their authority to remain without a warrant. The diners’ persistent inquiries and the business’s request for the agents to leave further fueled the charged interaction, ultimately leading to the officers’ departure.
Federal agents stand watch as protesters gather outside the Bishop Henry Whipple Federal Building in Saint Paul, Minn. (Octavio Jones/ AFP via Getty Images)
Customers could also be heard in the video asking if the agents had a warrant to be at the restaurant, noting the business asked them to leave.
Federal immigration agents are allowed to enter public areas of businesses without permission, but cannot access private areas like offices, kitchens, storage rooms or employee-only hallways without authorization or a warrant.
“Take off your mask,” a woman yelled. “Take off your mask!”
Anti-ICE protesters march in New York City. (Nikolas Lanum/Fox News Digital)
As the agents walked out of the business, others raised their middle fingers and shouted, “get the f— out of here, you fat little b—-,” “Coward m———–,” “Unamerican pieces of s—,” and “f—— Nazi pieces of s—.”
The incident came as tensions flared nationwide in response to the fatal shooting of 37-year-old Renee Nicole Good by an ICE agent in Minneapolis on Jan. 7.
Rep. Grace Meng, D-N.Y., speaks as fellow House Homeland Security Committee members look on during a news conference to discuss the killing of Renee Nicole Good outside the U.S. Capitol, Wednesday, in Washington, D.C. (Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images)
Department of Homeland Security (DHS) officials allege Good hit an ICE agent with her car while blocking an immigration enforcement operation, causing him to suffer internal bleeding to his torso.
Democrats criticized the agent’s action immediately after the shooting, calling her death a “murder.”
DHS did not immediately respond to Fox News Digital’s request for comment.
