New video and eyewitness reports from Minneapolis show federal immigration agents deploying tear gas, pepper spray and less-lethal rounds as demonstrators repeatedly closed distance during a protest near the Bishop Henry Whipple Federal Building.
The confrontations follow several high-profile incidents in the area, including the fatal shooting of anti-ICE activist Alex Pretti by federal agents on January 24 and the death of Renee Good earlier in the month, which have sparked daily demonstrations and increasing tension between protesters and law enforcement.
Footage from multiple angles shows agents in tactical gear warning the crowd to maintain distance and step back during enforcement actions. When some individuals continued to approach too closely and interfere with officers’ movements, agents responded with chemical irritants and “less-lethal” crowd-control rounds — tools that can include pepper spray and similar projectiles — to create space and reduce the risk of injury.
During one clash, video captures the rapid deployment of canisters and projectiles into the assembled crowd, with agents advancing toward demonstrators while managing shouted commands and physical resistance. The use of these tactics has been controversial: federal officials say they are responding to interference and threats to officer safety, while critics argue that such measures are escalating tensions and affecting peaceful observers.
A U.S. appeals court recently lifted a lower-court order that had restricted federal officers’ ability to arrest or use tear gas against protesters in Minneapolis. The decision temporarily restores broader authority for immigration agents to manage crowd interference during operations.
Authorities emphasize that the use of tear gas and less-lethal rounds is intended to protect both officers and bystanders when demonstrators refuse lawful commands or impede federal operations. Protest organizers, however, say many demonstrators were engaged in lawful expression and that federal tactics have at times crossed a line.
The situation remains fluid, with ongoing protests, legal challenges and public debate over the appropriate balance between crowd control and the right to assemble — especially in the wake of recent fatal encounters involving federal agents.
