A Minneapolis protest against Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) took a bizarre turn over the weekend when demonstrators mistakenly pelted a fellow protester with sex toys, creating a chaotic scene that resulted in numerous arrests. The incident occurred just days after former President Donald Trump announced the withdrawal of hundreds of federal agents from the liberal city.
Chaotic Scene at Federal Building
The disruptive demonstration unfolded on Saturday in front of the Bishop Henry Whipple Federal Building, where a rambunctious crowd gathered to protest ICE operations. This gathering came approximately one month after Renee Good was fatally shot during a confrontation with federal agents in Minneapolis.
Protesters chanted anti-ICE slogans while throwing glass bottles and sex toys at security personnel protecting the federal property. However, the demonstrators' anger became misdirected at one point, with their unusual tactics being deployed against one of their own supporters.
Mistaken Identity Leads to Bizarre Attack
A group of protesters was captured on video hurling fake penises at a man driving a dark blue pickup truck near the federal building. Amid the confusion, the driver screamed at his attackers, "Do you see my f*cking sign?" referring to a large banner in his truck bed that read "NUREMBERG 2.0" - a likely reference to the post-World War II Nuremberg Trials where Nazi officials were prosecuted for war crimes.
The driver's initial plea for the protesters to stop targeting him proved ineffective. He then displayed another sign reading "WE ALL HAVE EYES" through his driver-side window, but the crowd continued their bizarre assault. One protester even ripped the sign from the driver's hands as the attack persisted.
"I'm on your f*cking side!" the driver screamed in frustration before the chaos eventually subsided when someone from the crowd noticed the Nuremberg reference on his truck.
Multiple Arrests and Property Damage
The Hennepin County Sheriff's Office reported that the Saturday protest quickly escalated out of control. Authorities arrested 50 people from the chaotic scene, with 47 cited and released for unlawful assembly and seven others booked into the county jail.
"While many individuals are peacefully protesting, some agitators have engaged in unlawful behavior, including damaging property and throwing ice chunks," the sheriff's office stated in a Facebook announcement. "A deputy was struck in the head and a squad vehicle windshield was broken. This is not the first time our vehicles have been damaged at this location."
Law enforcement called upon mobile response teams from the Minnesota State Patrol and the Department of Natural Resources to manage the situation. The Minneapolis Police Department separately arrested three people at another protest on the same day.
Recent Context and Federal Response
Saturday's demonstration was intended to honor 37-year-olds Renee Good and Alex Pretti, both fatally shot during separate encounters with ICE agents in Minneapolis earlier this year. Good died on January 7, while Pretti died on January 24.
In recent weeks, throwing dildos at federal law enforcement officers has become an increasingly popular method of taunting authorities during protests. The tactic represents a new dimension in the ongoing tensions between protesters and federal agents in the city.
The incident occurred shortly after Trump told NBC News that his administration could "use a little bit of a softer touch" in Minneapolis, while still maintaining toughness. On the same day, White House border czar Tom Homan announced the Department of Homeland Security would remove 700 personnel from the city "effective immediately."
Homan noted that approximately 2,000 federal agents remain in Minneapolis as part of the ongoing Operation Metro Surge, with the goal of achieving a complete drawdown "as soon as we can" contingent upon the cessation of illegal activities against ICE and its federal partners.
