Minneapolis City Report On June 3 Protest is Wrong: Protesting ICE is Our Right!

The Committee to Stop FBI Repression is circulating this statement by the Minnesota Immigrants Rights Action Committee, the Twin Cities Coalition for Justice, and other groups in Minneapolis in response to the city’s after action report on anti-ICE protests on June 3, in defense of our right to protest:

Minneapolis City Report On June 3 Protest is Wrong: Protesting ICE is Our Right!

Donald Trump’s goons are wreaking racist havoc in cities across the country, and communities are standing up to resist the attacks on our immigrant neighbors. The brave people who refused to bow down to these federal forces are being targeted for exercising their right to protest. We stand with them, and call on our local and state governments to stand against Trump and protect their residents.

On June 3rd, a major federal raid was carried out in the heart of the Minneapolis immigrant community. Hundreds of neighbors who mobilized to protest and to document the operation were brutalized by law enforcement, including the Minneapolis Police Department, which is subject to a separation ordinance intended to prevent MPD from assisting ICE. The mayor, police chief, and sheriff all claimed the operation was not an immigration enforcement operation -- despite the visible presence of ICE, an ICE spokesperson confirming their involvement and coordination with local law enforcement, and the ICE detention of at least one person that day.

A progressive city council majority ordered an After-Action Review of the incident. At today’s final review, council conservatives took aim at those who came out to protect our immigrant neighbors, instead of focusing on the separation ordinance.

The June 3rd operation brought Trump’s terror to our neighborhoods, and MPD assisted in violent “crowd control” tactics rather than staying away or protecting city residents. While some city leaders object to community members defending each other, they have little or nothing to say against the harm inflicted by federal agents and MPD that day.

We stand with our immigrant neighbors and those who defend them against Trump’s brutality. We denounce MPD collusion with ICE and the attempts by Mayor Frey and other city leaders to cover that up. Those so-called leaders are failing us, but we can and will keep each other safe.

No person of conscience should assist ICE, the FBI, or any other federal agencies targeting immigrants or their allies. Do not answer questions, should law enforcement attempt to question you about what you saw on June 3rd. Instead, reach out to local organizers or an attorney for support.

We demand the federal charges be dropped against Isavela Lopez, and that the city and county drop any charges against other community members for their part in the protest that day.

We support efforts by local organizations with MIRAC to strengthen the separation ordinance, to give real meaning to the “Sanctuary City” title that Minneapolis claims.

We support the work of TCC4J for a Civilian Police Accountability Commission, so the community can control the police, rather than allow them free rein to ignore the ordinance and brutalize our neighbors.

We stand with everyone standing up to the Trump administration’s racist treatment of our immigrant community. Protecting our communities from this reactionary government is a responsibility every one of us has and we will do everything we can to fight against attempts to repress us for it.

The Committee to Stop FBI Repression is circulating the above statement by the Minnesota Immigrants Rights Action Committee, the Twin Cities Coalition for Justice, and other groups in Minneapolis in response to the after action city report on anti-ICE protests on June 3, in defense of our right to protest.