Fact Check: Is clip of protesters rioting, burning a building after Minnesota ICE shooting real?

MINNEAPOLIS, MINNESOTA: A video showing a building engulfed in flames has been shared widely on social media with the claim that it is related to the fatal shooting of a woman by an ICE agent during an immigration crackdown. The clip has generated speculations about its authenticity. Let us examine the context of the video and fact-check it.

Claim: ICE shooting leads to fiery demonstration in Minneapolis 

A video of a building engulfed in flames is spreading with the claim that it shows the riots perpetrated by Antifa in Minneapolis following the death of Renee Nicole Good, who was shot and killed by an ICE agent during an immigration crackdown in the city. 

The clip was shared on X on an account called Israel Now with the caption, 'Antifa supporters are burning down the city of Minnesota,' posted on January 11.

Similar posts have spread across other social media platforms such as Threads, including in Spanish.

Fact Check: The clip predates the Minneapolis shooting

But according to various reports, the protest in Minnesota has been largely peaceful. 

A reverse image search traced the video to an X post from Max Nesterak, a journalist who posted the video in May, 2020. 

The video is related to the violent protests in Minneapolis following the death of George Floyd, a black man, at the hands of a white police officer that year, which led to widespread outrage.

Nesterak posted it for the outlet, Minnesota Reformer, as part of a thread describing scenes on the ground in the city through May 27, 2020, and into the early-morning hours of May 28, 2020.

"This is my neighborhood," he wrote. "You can see flames for a mile and feel the heat from a block away."

ICE operation escalates into a deadly encounter

The shooting occurred on January 7, amid a federal immigration enforcement surge targeting the Twin Cities area.

The operation involved a significant deployment of federal agents across Minneapolis and St Paul, marking one of the most aggressive crackdowns in the region in recent years.

Video footage of the incident quickly spread online, drawing scrutiny of the Department of Homeland Security’s account. DHS later described Good as a 'domestic te**orist,' alleging that she attempted to weaponize her vehicle against law enforcement officers.

However, the available video evidence did not appear to support that characterization. In the footage, the vehicle appeared to be turning away from agents moments before shots were fired, contradicting official claims.

As investigations and public debate continue, officials have urged the public to refrain from spreading unverified or manipulated information, noting that such content can exacerbate tensions and distort understanding of ongoing cases.