Thousands protest and dozens are arrested after woman’s death by US immigration agent

City authorities said 30 people were arrested during weekend protests Reuter via BBC Thousands of people participated in protests in Minneapolis, United States, on Saturday (10), following the death of a woman shot by a US Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agent in the city. City officials said 30 people were arrested during the weekend’s protests and a police officer was injured after a “chunk of ice was thrown at them.” Protests against immigration enforcement have taken place across the US after 37-year-old Renee Nicole Good was shot in her car on Wednesday. ✅ Follow the g1 international news channel on WhatsApp President Donald Trump’s government stated that the agent who shot him acted in self-defense. Local authorities insist the woman posed no danger. Protests against ICE have also occurred in other American cities, including Austin, Seattle, New York and Los Angeles. Minneapolis City Hall said Saturday that the “vast majority of community members demonstrated peacefully.” See the videos trending on g1 On Friday night, Minneapolis police declared an unlawful assembly as protesters gathered in front of the city’s Canopy Hotel, where some ICE agents were believed to be staying. The Minneapolis Police Department said in a statement that “hundreds of people” attended and that “some individuals forced entry into the hotel through a side entrance.” Videos posted online showed protesters pointing bright lights at the area, blowing whistles and beating drums. Police said some threw ice, snow and rocks at officers, squad cars and other vehicles, but there were no reports of serious injuries. A police officer suffered minor injuries but did not require medical attention, according to the American network CBS News. Authorities said another hotel in the city was also the target of protests and had damaged windows and graffiti. At a press conference Saturday, Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey praised the majority of protesters, who he said have behaved peacefully, but noted that individuals who cause property damage or endanger others would be arrested. Those arrested Friday night were later released, Minneapolis Police Chief Brian O’Hara said. Many Minnesotans are frustrated with ICE’s presence in the state, and O’Hara said his department was receiving dozens of calls every day about the federal agency’s operations. On Saturday, three Minnesota congressmen also attempted to visit an ICE facility in Minneapolis. The women said they were initially allowed in, but were later told they needed to leave. Democratic lawmakers Ilhan Omar, Kelly Morrison and Angie Craig said ICE and the Department of Homeland Security were obstructing members of Congress from carrying out their duty to oversee operations there. “They don’t care that they’re violating federal law,” Craig said. “The public deserves to know what is happening at ICE facilities,” Omar posted on X. Good was shot and killed in her car on Wednesday. Videos of the incident show ICE agents approaching a car stopped in the middle of the street and ordering the woman behind the wheel to exit the vehicle. One of the agents pulls the driver’s door handle. As the vehicle tries to start, one of the agents in front of the car points his gun at the driver and several shots are heard. The car then continues to move away from the agent and crashes into the side of the street. Good’s wife told local media that the couple had gone to the site of the immigration raid to support their neighbors. The agent who shot Good is Jonathan Ross, an ICE veteran who was previously injured in the line of duty when he was hit by a car. Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem said the ICE agent shot Good multiple times because she was trying to run him over with her car. But Minneapolis’ Democratic Mayor Frey said that version of events is a false narrative. For him, Good was trying to leave the scene, not attack an agent. The FBI is investigating the incident. On Friday, Minnesota authorities said they would open an inquiry into the incident after saying they had been excluded from the federal investigation. The announcement came a day after the Minnesota Department of Criminal Investigation said the FBI had initially promised a joint investigation but later changed its mind. The US vice president said the investigation was a federal matter.

Source link