Dispatch from Minneapolis: Feb 6th

Landed in Minneapolis at 11am Friday February 7th and headed to a breakfast place where ICE had tried to raid. They had a buzzer on the door to let people in, and this sign warning that ICE was not welcome. This is what ICE is making of the city.

Next up the journalists I’m traveling with went searching for ICE. It’s a bit different than two weeks ago when I was last here, a lot less journalists and less obvious presence of ICE. They’re still in town, but now they’re using older model and different vehicles.

They’re still certainly using the black Ford Explorers with all tinted windows but the occasional beat up late model SUV or the the orange Jeep makes an appearance. I must have had my photo taken 100 times by the Federal officer in the car below. I’m going out of my way to not get faces of observers (locals that track ICE, blow whistles and honk their horns) but ICE certainly isn’t. This guy was taking photos of everyone with his phone that got anywhere near him parked on a suburban street.

What’s new (at least to me) is the kidnappings of the observers. According to reports there were three observers taken out of cars today in Minneapolis. One vehicle that we documented and spoke to witnesses had it’s drivers window bashed in. An observer told us that they were “one of theirs.” ICE left the door open on the middle of the street. Local police came by but did nothing.

I’ve not been able to hear any word about what the observers were charged with or if they have been released. I’ll update if I hear anything.

Long day tomorrow - we’ll be searching for ICE early in the morning and then heading to the Whipple Federal building where ICE is headquartered for a press conference by white supremacist Jake Lang. I do not expect that to go well.

Lang was just released from jail for destroying an anti-ICE sculpture at the state capitol on Thursday. He had planned to do another rally but he is now not allowed near his planned location.

I’ll have more on Sean Feucht’s “Riots to Revival” event in Minneapolis Friday night as soon as I can put everything together.

Thanks for the support everyone. Apologize for this short dispatch, I’ll try to do a longer one tomorrow.

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