Thousands of demonstrators braved freezing temperatures in Minneapolis on Saturday to demand justice for Renee Nicole Good, a woman shot and killed by a US Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agent earlier in the week.
The unrest, which has since inspired solidarity marches in major cities like New York, Seattle, and Los Angeles, resulted in intense confrontations with law enforcement and approximately 30 arrests over the weekend.
Okay News reports that while Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey described the majority of the protests as peaceful, tensions escalated violently outside the Canopy Hotel where ICE agents were believed to be staying.
Police were forced to declare an unlawful assembly after a group of protesters reportedly breached an entrance and threw ice and rocks at officers, leading to minor injuries for one law enforcement member.
The incident has triggered a sharp conflict between local authorities and the federal government regarding the justification for the shooting. The Trump administration maintains that the veteran ICE agent opened fire in self-defense because Good was using her vehicle as a weapon, but Mayor Frey and local officials argue video evidence suggests she was merely trying to flee the scene.
As the FBI takes control of the investigation, Minnesota congressional representatives have voiced deep frustration over being denied access to ICE facilities to perform oversight duties.