Minnesota Prosecutors Indict 15 Anti-ICE Protesters

Federal prosecutors in Minnesota announced felony charges on Tuesday against 15 individuals they allege are affiliated with two Minneapolis-based antifascist groups for conspiring to impede federal immigration enforcement operations earlier this year. U.S. Attorney Daniel Rosen said the charges, which include conspiracy to impede or injure federal officers, assault on a federal officer, and destruction of government property, stem from actions during protests against a large-scale federal immigration crackdown known as Operation Metro Surge.

Twelve of the defendants were arrested in raids on Tuesday morning, two remain at large, and one is already in custody, according to officials. The 94-page indictment alleges the defendants engaged in a coordinated effort to disrupt enforcement actions. Prosecutors claim that over two days, protesters used vehicles and blocks of ice to impede federal vehicles outside a detention center, employed homemade shields to resist law enforcement, and conducted surveillance on officers.

The charges are the latest development following months of tension in the Twin Cities that began when hundreds of federal agents arrived in the area last winter. The...