Minneapolis Residents Pelt ICE Agents With Snowballs Over Viral Arrest Video
Minneapolis- ICE agents were confronted by Minneapolis residents with snowballs and whistles Monday as a viral video showed them keeping a woman face-down in the snow during a chaotic enforcement action that drew widespread criticism.
Tension soared in South Minneapolis when onlookers began yelling that the detained woman was pregnant and couldn’t breathe, even as federal agents held her down and later dragged her by one arm.
According to eyewitness reports and local coverage, the incident unfolded near Lake Street and Pillsbury Avenue, where locals quickly gathered after hearing whistles meant to warn neighbors of an ICE operation. Residents surrounded the scene, yelling at agents and throwing snowballs as the woman lay pinned.
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The situation escalated when ICE officers used pepper spray and a Taser on the crowd, hitting a WCCO reporter and photographer, officials and witnesses said. Local law enforcement arrived but did not intervene, with Minneapolis Police Chief Brian O’Hara saying his officers found no violence that required action and criticized ICE’s approach.
“We have been training our officers … on de-escalation, but unfortunately that is … often not what we are seeing from other agencies in the city,” O’Hara told reporters.
The Department of Homeland Security defended ICE, claiming agents were attacked with rocks and ice, and said two U.S. citizens were arrested for assaulting federal officers.
The woman’s pregnancy has not been independently verified by authorities, and DHS hasn’t fully detailed why the stop escalated.
This incident adds to rising local tensions over federal immigration enforcement in Minneapolis, raising questions about use of force, community safety, and how ICE engages with civilians. What happens next could include local inquiries or federal review of the tactics used.
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