A city on edge. Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey, just days after issuing a fiery demand for federal agents to leave, abruptly called for peace amidst escalating unrest. The shift followed a dramatic incident: a shooting involving a federal agent and a Venezuelan immigrant.
The incident unfolded after a traffic stop, culminating in an alleged assault on a federal agent with a snow shovel. The agent responded with gunfire, striking the immigrant in the leg. Frey, appearing at a late-night press conference, acknowledged the volatile situation and pleaded for calm from all sides.
Frey has been a vocal critic of ICE’s operations within the city, repeatedly asserting their presence exacerbates tensions. He described the current situation as “unsustainable,” highlighting the strain on already limited police resources as residents demand they confront federal agents.
The mayor painted a picture of conflicting governmental forces operating within the same city, a scenario he deemed unacceptable. He accused ICE and Border Patrol of actively “creating chaos,” even as they faced confrontations, sometimes violent, from protesters opposing federal immigration policies.
Frey didn’t shy away from strong language, condemning what he called “disgusting and intolerable” conduct by ICE. However, he simultaneously urged protesters not to fall into what he perceived as a trap laid by President Trump, warning that escalating tensions wouldn’t help those they aimed to protect.
This plea for peace represents a significant departure from Frey’s earlier, more aggressive stance. Just last week, following the fatal shooting of Renee Good by an ICE agent, he delivered a scathing rebuke, telling ICE to “get the f--- out of Minneapolis.”
Despite the apparent change in tone, Frey defended his record, insisting he has consistently advocated for peace and has never encouraged violence. He challenged anyone to find evidence to the contrary within his public statements.
Federal authorities offered a different account, stating the agent fired after the immigrant fled a traffic stop and then attacked with a shovel. This narrative fueled further escalation from the nation’s capital.
President Trump responded with a threat to invoke the Insurrection Act, a rarely used law allowing the deployment of federal troops to quell domestic unrest. He accused Minneapolis politicians of failing to control “professional agitators” and protect ICE agents.
Minnesota Governor Tim Walz countered with a plea for Trump to de-escalate the situation, urging him to “turn the temperature down.” ICE, in turn, directly challenged Walz, demanding he cease “hostile” rhetoric and cooperate with their efforts to detain and remove individuals deemed “criminal illegal aliens.”
The city remains caught in a complex web of conflicting interests, political pressures, and escalating tensions, with the future uncertain and the call for peace hanging in the balance.
