ICE agents violently restrained a woman in Minneapolis on Monday, dragging her through the snow and pinning her face down as onlookers shouted that the woman was pregnant.
During what was supposed to be a βtargeted vehicle stop,βΒ according to ICE officials, protesters swarmed the agents. Esme Murphy, a WCCO reporter,Β was on the scene, where she saw ICE holding a woman on the ground.
βPlease let her go! Sheβs pregnant!β one onlookerΒ shouted.
βGet her off of her fucking stomach,β another said.
In response to this, one agentΒ fired a TaserΒ into the crowd. βWho wants more?β he taunted, according to WCCO.
βWe kept yelling, βShe is pregnant, sheβs pregnant,ββ resident Tonika DeutchΒ told Murphy. βThey put their knees on her. We kept telling them, βShe canβt breathe, let her up, let her up.ββ
The woman was then dragged by one arm, as the crowd continued to yell and plead with the ICE agents. Bystanders threw snowballs, and ICE agents fired pepper spray into the crowdβhitting Murphy, the reporter, as well as her photographer.
ICE called the Minneapolis Police Department for backup. Once they arrived, the officers determined there was βno violence occurringβ against the agents. βWe have been training our officers for the last five years very, very intensely on de-escalation, but unfortunately that is β¦ often not what we are seeing from other agencies in the city,β Minneapolis Police Chief Brian OβHara told WCCO.
According to ICE, they succeeded inΒ arresting the targetsΒ of their operation: a young Ecuadorian couple who were abducted from their car, its windows shattered by agents. The woman is currently in custody in Illinois, and itβs not known where her husband is being held. Two U.S. citizens were alsoΒ arrestedΒ for assaulting federal officers, according to CBS.
I am an older gay guy in a long-term wonderful relationship. My spouse and I are in our 36th year together. I love politics and news. I enjoy civil discussions and have no taboo subjects. My pronouns are he / him / his and my email is Scottiestoybox@gmail.com
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