Additional Coverage:
Tense Standoff in St. Paul Leads to Civilian Injuries, Mayoral Review Underway
ST. PAUL, MN – A morning in a St.
Paul neighborhood erupted into a chaotic scene on Tuesday, as federal agents clashed with a large crowd protesting what they believed to be an Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) raid. The incident, which involved the deployment of chemical irritants and smoke canisters, resulted in at least one civilian being pepper-sprayed at close range, prompting a city-wide review of the use of force.
Federal agents from the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) were reportedly in the 600 block of Rose Avenue, attempting to apprehend a man from Honduras who had allegedly entered the country illegally. As agents established a perimeter, protestors converged, leading to a volatile confrontation. Witnesses and social media footage indicate that as protestors breached the federal agents’ line, officers responded with force, deploying chemical irritants and smoke canisters into the crowd.
A particularly disturbing video shared widely on social media platform X depicts a woman, visibly using a cane, being pepper-sprayed directly in the face at point-blank range by a DHS official. The video further shows agents allegedly shoving the woman to the ground after she was already incapacitated and stumbling backward.
St. Paul Mayor Melvin Carter addressed the incident at a news conference Tuesday evening, announcing that the St.
Paul Police Department has initiated a comprehensive review of every instance of force used during the day’s events. Police Chief Axel Henry is reportedly sifting through all available body-worn camera footage to gain a full understanding of what transpired.
Chief Henry acknowledged the public’s frustration regarding these issues, while clarifying that St. Paul police officers are not involved in immigration enforcement. He emphasized, however, that the department has a responsibility to ensure local laws are upheld.
In a separate development on the same day, a U.S. citizen reportedly used a vehicle as a weapon, ramming into an ICE law enforcement vehicle during an attempted arrest. The suspect fled on foot but was later taken into custody.
Minnesota Governor Tim Walz also weighed in on the situation via X, stating he is “monitoring the situation” and “working to understand what unfolded.” Governor Walz expressed concern about the lack of communication from federal authorities, noting, “We received no heads up from federal authorities on this operation. While we are always willing to work together on public safety, that is clearly not what this chaotic situation was about.”
The St. Paul incident comes amidst a backdrop of increasing reports of federal immigration sweeps across the country, with some videos circulating on social media showing agents approaching civilians in public spaces and demanding proof of U.S. citizenship.