Yoga Studio Confrontation Over ICE Sign Removal Erupts in Minneapolis
A heated confrontation between CorePower Yoga employees and customers at a Minneapolis studio has spread rapidly across social media platforms, ignited by allegations that staff members removed anti-ICE protest signage from the premises. The incident, captured in a widely shared TikTok video, shows at least a dozen patrons confronting two female staff members in the studio lobby following a Sunday yoga class.
Longtime Member Leads Tense Exchange
The confrontation was spearheaded by Heather Anderson, a longstanding member of the CorePower Yoga studio, who was subsequently banned from the facility after the viral episode, according to reports from the New York Post. In the video, patrons repeatedly pressured the employees to justify why the company had not publicly denounced the presence of Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents in the city, specifically questioning the removal of an anti-ICE sign displayed in the studio window.
"Give us answers, let's go ... let's hear it — why are you being silent?" Anderson demands from behind the camera, which focuses on a visibly distressed staffer. As the video progresses, Anderson raises her voice and insists on a response, arguing that the company should have been equipped with "well-rehearsed corporate action and words."
Staff Struggle Under Pressure
Anderson directs her comments at an employee named Delaney, using profanity and urging her to speak loudly, while other customers snap their fingers in apparent solidarity. The staff member appears to struggle to formulate a response under the intense pressure, with another individual in the crowd remarking, "The silence is deafening." A CorePower Yoga spokesperson clarified to The Independent that the two employees at the desk were not corporate staff but a studio manager and a regional director who were present to support the local team, ensure staff safety following recent tragic events in Minneapolis, and prevent class cancellations.
When Delaney attempts to pause the exchange, Anderson refuses to relent, demanding that she "be loud with CorePower corporate's answers" and accusing the women of arriving at the studio "to silence teachers." Anderson then shifts her focus to the other woman behind the desk, asking if she has a satisfactory response, as Delaney seems unable to provide one.
Company Response and Signage Policy
"Well, I mean, we're being berated right now," the other woman replies, which further incenses Anderson. She retorts, "You're not being berated — you're being asked hard questions ... berating is what our neighbors are living through," before demanding to know if the employees will restore the ICE sign to the front door. An employee responds by asking, "Is that the ask?" prompting an emotional speech from another patron who condemns CorePower's silence as complicity and suggests taking their business elsewhere, eliciting applause from the group.
CorePower Yoga confirmed to The Independent that the original anti-ICE sign was removed and replaced with standardized signage used across all its locations, which states that law enforcement and ICE may only enter with a valid judicial warrant. In reaction to the viral incident, the company temporarily suspended the memberships of attendees as a precautionary measure. Over half of those affected have since had their memberships reinstated after one-on-one conversations, with others still awaiting contact. Anderson was the sole individual whose membership was fully terminated, according to the spokesperson.
Corporate Statement and Aftermath
In an official statement provided to The Independent, a company spokesperson expressed, "CorePower Yoga studios are meant to be safe, welcoming spaces that foster mindfulness, belonging, and respect for all who wish to practice yoga. We do not condone the violent ICE raids, and we have distributed signage across our studios. We respect peaceful activism and individuals' rights to expression."
The statement continued, "Over the weekend, an incident occurred at one of our Twin Cities studios. We have a responsibility to protect the safety of our teachers and students. We recognize that this impacted some students who did not engage, and we have since spoken directly with those students and reversed those decisions. We are committed to finding ways to best support our communities during this devastating time."
Regarding her actions, Anderson stated she has no regrets about how she handled the now-infamous interaction. "What I said in that video landed," Anderson told the Post. "When that happens and the other party doesn't want to engage with a learning stance — there's a self-preservation stance — then they just dismiss you. They have more power than me, they have a corporation behind them — I am easy to swat away."
