Daijiworld Media Network - Minneapolis

Minneapolis, Dec 18: Minneapolis Police Chief Brian O’Hara has criticized federal immigration agents following a confrontation with protesters and the attempted arrest of a woman in which an officer kneeled on her back and tried to drag her atop a snow bank. The woman was later released.

The incident occurred Monday in a Minneapolis neighborhood amid an ongoing federal immigration crackdown targeting the city’s Somali community, the largest in the United States. Onlookers captured video showing protesters yelling for the woman’s release, claiming she was pregnant and unable to breathe.

Police were called to assist federal agents but did not witness any violence against officers. Chief O’Hara said his department prioritizes de-escalation, stating, “We have been training our officers for the last five years very, very intensely on de-escalation. But unfortunately that is not, that is often not what we are seeing from other agencies in the city.”

Witnesses described the federal officers as aggressive from the outset. Lauryn Spencer, who recorded the incident, said she and others were sprayed with chemical irritants after protesting the treatment of the woman. Protesters reportedly threw snowballs after the woman was dragged.

Department of Homeland Security Assistant Secretary Tricia McLaughlin defended the federal agents, claiming officers were targeted with rocks, ice, and pepper spray, resulting in multiple injuries. She added that the woman attempted to rush an ICE vehicle and vandalize it, though her arrest was abandoned after the crowd intervened. Two people were later charged with assaulting federal officers.

Former Minnesota legislator Hodan Hassan said ICE’s tactics have become more aggressive over the course of the operation. The clash occurred just a few miles from the site where George Floyd was killed, drawing renewed attention to policing practices and raising concerns about excessive use of force by law enforcement agencies.