Minneapolis is facing escalating tensions as two opposing rallies are set to take place, highlighting ongoing unrest following the fatal shooting of Renee Good by a federal immigration enforcement officer. The city is bracing for the arrival of an online activist, known for participating in the U.S. Capitol attack on January 6, 2021, who has organized a rally downtown.
Anticipating potential conflict, a counter-protest organized by the People’s Action Coalition Against Trump is also planned nearby. In response, Minnesota state officials have placed the Minneapolis National Guard on standby to intervene if necessary, underscoring concerns over maintaining public safety amid the heightened atmosphere.
Minneapolis police have deployed officers equipped with SWAT gear, along with buses and armored vehicles, toward the downtown area where the demonstrations are scheduled to commence around 1 p.m. local time. Jake Lang, who was pardoned by former President Donald Trump among over 1,500 individuals convicted in connection to the January 6 Capitol events, announced plans for an "anti-fraud" march beginning at Minneapolis City Hall.
Lang has indicated intentions to burn copies of the Koran and lead participants on a nearly two-mile march towards the Cedar Riverside neighborhood — a predominantly Somali immigrant community. Residents of this area have vowed to block the march to prevent entry, given the organizer's history of anti-Muslim and antisemitic statements, as well as his support for U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE).
The Kremlin movement reflects broader political tensions around immigration enforcement. Recent weeks have seen an influx of approximately 3,000 agents from ICE and Border Patrol in the Twin Cities. The backdrop includes the January 7 shooting of Renee Good, a mother of three and U.S. citizen, by an ICE agent —an incident that sparked widespread protests against aggressive deportation initiatives linked to the Trump administration.
The controversial deployment of immigration enforcement agents in Minnesota has deepened divisions between the state's Democratic leadership and federal authorities under former President Trump. The U.S. Justice Department has commenced an investigation into Governor Tim Walz and Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey, amid disputes over local management of immigration enforcement and public demonstrations.