Nationwide Protests Erupt After Federal Agents Fatally Shoot Minneapolis Nurse
Major demonstrations have swept across multiple American cities following the fatal shooting of Alex Pretti, a 37-year-old registered nurse, by federal agents in Minneapolis. The wave of protests comes just one day after thousands marched through the streets of Minneapolis, Minnesota, to protest US Immigration and Customs Enforcement.
Coast-to-Coast Demonstrations Against Immigration Enforcement
Giant protests spread across US urban centres on Saturday, including Minneapolis, New York City, Boston and Providence, Rhode Island. Protesters braved extreme cold temperatures to speak out against ICE and show support for Pretti and others affected by the recent surge of immigration agents in Minneapolis.
In New York City, thousands rallied in Union Square with demonstrators shouting: "Say it once, say it twice, we will not put up with ICE!" New York city council member Chi Osse addressed the crowd in freezing conditions, calling for the abolishment of the immigration enforcement agency.
"We need Nuremberg trials for the people of ICE, for the people who are committing crimes against humanity here in our country," Osse declared to the assembled protesters. "I refuse to call them law enforcement. They are agents of chaos. They are destroying the fabric of our country."
Widespread Civil Disobedience and Chants
In Providence, Rhode Island, hundreds gathered to protest in front of the local headquarters of the Department of Homeland Security. Some protesters screamed "Shut it down, shut it down, shut it down," while others held signs reading "No Tyrants & No Kings" and "ICE is the worst of the worst."
Marching through Boston, Massachusetts, droves of demonstrators chanted in unison: "One, two, three, four, ICE detention no more, five, six, seven, eight, end the terror and the hate!" Livestream footage from Saturday night captured a giant crowd in Minneapolis shouting "Fuck ICE, ICE out" as temperatures plummeted.
Controversial Circumstances Surrounding Fatal Shooting
Alex Pretti, a US citizen who worked in the intensive care unit at the Minneapolis VA Health Care System serving veterans, was shot multiple times during an encounter with law enforcement officers. Viral video footage of the incident shows Pretti being wrestled to the ground by officers before he was shot.
According to witness accounts, Pretti was apprehended after appearing to come to the defense of an observer who was shoved to the ground by a federal officer. That officer then repeatedly sprayed Pretti with a chemical agent before tackling him to the street along with other agents. At least one analyst has suggested that some footage indicates Pretti had a gun taken away from him before the shots were fired.
Conflicting Official Accounts and Legal Context
The Department of Homeland Security and its secretary, Kristi Noem, have repeatedly asserted that Pretti "approached US Border Patrol officers with a 9mm semi-automatic handgun" and that "officers attempted to disarm" him. These claims persist despite all available video evidence showing Pretti without a gun in his hand during the altercation.
Brian O'Hara, the Minneapolis police chief, confirmed that Pretti was a lawful gun owner with a permit to carry. Minnesota law allows citizens to obtain permits to carry handguns in public and does not require the concealment of those weapons, adding further complexity to the controversial incident.
The nationwide protests represent a significant escalation in public opposition to immigration enforcement tactics, with demonstrators connecting Pretti's death to broader concerns about federal agency conduct and civil liberties in the United States.
