Anti-ICE Protesters Enter Minnesota State Capitol

Protesters were seen inside Minnesota’s State Capitol in Saint Paul on January 14, after hundreds of students walked out of high schools to protest aggressive actions by Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) and Border Patrol in the state. At the capitol, organizers led protesters in anti-ICE chants, including “no justice, no peace, no ICE in our streets!” and “no hate, no fear, immigrants are welcome here!” The students came from several schools in the city, including St Paul City School, where staff set up a GoFundMe account to support families they say “have been directly impacted by recent ICE operations in our cities.” As the protest was underway, the City of Minneapolis posted on social media, writing: “Amid ICE’s divisive presence in our neighborhoods, we’ve heard reports of threats of violence against schools and community organizations. Call 911 immediately if you hear about or receive a threat involving schools, students, or community groups.” Students also staged walkout protests on January 12 and 13 in the Minnesota cities of Roseville, Minneapolis, and Rochester. The walkouts were held after Minneapolis Public Schools canceled classes on January 8 and 9 “out of abundance of caution” due to “incidents around the city.” Their decision came after the killing of Renee Good by an ICE agent on January 7, and after Border Patrol officers fired chemical irritants outside Roosevelt High School in Minneapolis later that day while students were being dismissed.