Tensions stay excessive in Minneapolis. President Trump has threatened to invoke the Revolt Act to quell ongoing protests there towards federal officers finishing up his immigration crackdown.
AILSA CHANG, HOST:
President Trump at this time threatened to invoke the Revolt Act to suppress ongoing protests in Minneapolis. Tensions stay excessive after an ICE officer killed 37-year-old Renee Macklin Good final week. Frustrations boiled over final evening after a Venezuelan immigrant was shot within the leg by a federal agent who stated he was attacked. NPR’s Jasmine Garsd is in Minneapolis and joins us now with the newest. Hello, Jas.
JASMINE GARSD, BYLINE: Hello.
CHANG: So what does it really feel like proper there now? Like, what is the temper like?
GARSD: You recognize, final evening, a Minnesotan requested me, does the remainder of the nation perceive what is going on right here? So let me paint an image. The temper may be very tense. Homeland Safety says there are greater than 2,000 ICE brokers on the bottom and extra on the way in which. Lots of people out listed here are petrified of retaliation for protesting and do not wish to give their full names. Like this younger protester – he requested to go by his first identify solely, Cameron.
CAMERON: They’ve the town changed into a conflict zone identical to they need it to be. They’re right here to scare individuals.
GARSD: Proper now, the streets are pretty empty. Loads of shops have their doorways locked. And on each road nook, there are one or two individuals, residents, simply standing, monitoring for ICE brokers. The extent of organized resistance to ICE right here is like nothing I’ve seen anyplace else within the U.S. Hundreds of individuals are on messaging apps proper now, sharing license plates numbers of automobiles which they think are ICE brokers with a purpose to warn their neighbors.
CHANG: Effectively, final evening, as we talked about, a Venezuelan immigrant was shot within the leg, which I noticed led to extra protests. And I perceive that you simply received there proper after that incident. What did you see?
GARSD: Yeah. Homeland Safety has issued an announcement saying the federal immigration agent was appearing in self-defense after he was attacked by the immigrant and two different individuals with a shovel and a brush deal with. The Trump administration is asking protesters skilled agitators and insurrectionists. I met a whole lot of households there, older adults, completely different ethnicities. It was a really combined group. I spoke to a nurse who stated she’s afraid of ICE retaliation for protesting. She needed to solely be referred to by her first identify, Karen. And he or she requested me, is it regular how scared I’m proper now?
KAREN: It is my first day out right here, however I am a nurse. And I am afraid individuals are going to get harm, so I am right here to maintain my neighbors secure.
(SOUNDBITE OF WHISTLE BLOWING)
UNIDENTIFIED PROTESTER: We do not need (inaudible) right here.
GARSD: Moments after we spoke, ICE brokers began throwing what appeared like flash grenades. There have been very loud bangs, and we ran away.
CHANG: OK. Effectively, as we stated earlier, President Trump is now threatening to invoke the Revolt Act with a purpose to tamp down these protests we’re speaking about. How are Minneapolis officers responding to that menace?
GARSD: Effectively, Minnesota Lawyer Normal Keith Ellison stated there have been no grounds to invoke the act. In an announcement, he added, quote, “if Donald Trump does invoke the Revolt Act, I’m ready to problem that in – motion in courtroom.” However, you already know, individuals I spoke to out right here expressed frustration with state leaders. Final evening on the protest, I met a mother who informed me she was fearful of talking out towards the federal government. She did not wish to use her full identify, however that is her message to native officers.
UNIDENTIFIED PERSON: Step up extra. Do one thing. You recognize, come exterior with the individuals. Assist us some extra. Like, you are simply doing press conferences for what? Like, you are our authorities. Like, come exterior and assist us.
CHANG: However Jasmine, are you able to simply clarify for individuals what invoking the Revolt Act particularly means? Like, what would that appear to be?
GARSD: Completely. So the president has threatened to invoke the Revolt Act a number of instances. And the act is a technique for a president to ship within the army, however it’s completely different from the Nationwide Guard deployments we noticed final yr in that the Revolt Act goes additional. It permits the army to hold out native legislation enforcement capabilities. You recognize, each particular person I’ve spoken to out right here has informed me they’re livid they usually haven’t any intention of backing down. So there is a sense right here that we’re at a boiling level and that invoking the Revolt Act would solely inflame the state of affairs.
CHANG: That’s NPR’s Jasmine Garsd in Minneapolis. Thanks a lot, Jas.
GARSD: Thanks.
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