Minneapolis Police Chief Brian O'Hara has publicly criticized the tactics employed by federal immigration agents following a recent confrontation with protesters. The incident involved immigration officers attempting to arrest a woman in a Minneapolis neighborhood, an effort that was met with significant resistance from bystanders who claimed the woman was pregnant and struggling to breathe.
Video footage of the event shows a federal agent kneeling on the woman’s back while trying to pull her towards a awaiting vehicle, prompting onlookers to shout, Let her go! The agent ultimately released the woman amidst the uproar. O'Hara stated that his officers arrived on the scene after being summoned by a federal agent but did not witness any violence directed at federal officers.
Amidst the ongoing immigration crackdown targeting the Somali community—one of the largest in the U.S.—tensions have escalated significantly. Federal officials, including Department of Homeland Security assistant secretary Tricia McLaughlin, described the protesters as having assaulted officers during the incident, citing injuries sustained by law enforcement personnel.
O'Hara stressed the importance of de-escalation training for his department, noting that not all law enforcement agencies appear to follow these guidelines. Meanwhile, community leaders like former state legislator Hodan Hassan have remarked on the increasingly aggressive tactics of ICE in recent weeks, contrasting initial measures with the more forceful approach taken currently.
Notably, this confrontation took place near the site where George Floyd was killed by police in 2020, an event that ignited widespread calls for racial justice and law enforcement reform across the nation. As protests continue, the Minneapolis community grapples with the dual challenges of immigration enforcement and ongoing demands for police accountability.
