Minneapolis police chief, Brian O’Hara, has voiced concerns over the actions of Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents following a tense confrontation with protesters during an attempted arrest of a woman.
Onlookers captured video footage of the incident showing an ICE agent kneeling on the woman’s back while she lay atop a snowbank, protesters shouting at the officers that she was pregnant and unable to breathe. The situation escalated, with the agent dragging her towards a vehicle before she was ultimately released amidst calls for her freedom from the crowd.
O’Hara stated during a news conference that local police were called in to assist federal agents but upon arrival found no evidence of violence against the ICE officers. Consequently, they decided to withdraw to help de-escalate the situation rather than escalate further. He remarked, “other law enforcement agencies” involved may have utilized “questionable methods.”
Chief O’Hara mentioned that his department has been intensively training officers on de-escalation tactics over the past five years but noted disappointing actions from the federal agents. “What we are seeing from other agencies in the city is often not aligned with that training,” he expressed.
Assistant Secretary for the Department of Homeland Security, Tricia McLaughlin, asserted that ICE agents were targeting an alleged vandal when protesters reportedly retaliated with rocks, ice chunks, and pepper spray, resulting in injuries among federal officers and multiple arrests.
During a recent operation, the same situation arose with plans to arrest the woman in question, who McLaughlin claimed tried to attack an ICE vehicle. However, the federal officers retreated when overwhelmed by the crowd of protesters.
Former Minnesota state legislator, Hodan Hassan, indicated that the tactics employed by ICE have become increasingly severe over time, stating that there has been a noticeable shift towards more aggressive actions.
This latest clash occurred just a short distance from where George Floyd was killed by a Minneapolis police officer, an incident that had widespread ramifications across the entire nation regarding police practices and racial justice movements.
