Hundreds of anti-ICE protesters storm Minneapolis Hilton hotel
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Hundreds of protesters against Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) stormed a Hilton hotel in Minneapolis after a woman was fatally shot by one of the agency’s officers this week.
Newsweek contacted Hilton Hotels and the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) via email for comment outside of regular business hours.
Why It Matters
Renee Nicole Good’s killing by an ICE officer has ignited widespread protests in Minneapolis and drawn national attention to the contentious debate over federal immigration enforcement in American cities.
The incident, and the subsequent unrest, are fueling public scrutiny of ICE’s practices and the Trump administration’s immigration policies, while underscoring deep divisions within both the local community and the country at large.
What To Know
Three consecutive nights of protests were triggered in Minneapolis after ICE agent Jonathan Ross fatally shot Good, a 37-year-old mother of three, during a confrontation in the Cedar-Riverside area of the Minnesota city.
On Friday night, hundreds of masked anti-ICE demonstrators gathered outside the Canopy by Hilton Hotel, following rumors that federal agents were staying there.
Protesters shattered windows, sprayed graffiti, and chanted anti-ICE slogans.
Police responded at approximately 10:30 p.m., deploying around 100 state troopers to disperse the protest.
During the unrest, protesters also broke into a nearby downtown venue, The Depot, damaging property and further escalating tensions.
According to reports from the ground, a group “breached the side entrance of the Hilton Canopy hotel” where they believed federal ICE agents were staying.
The crowd could be heard whistling, chanting, and banging on what sounded like drums, pots, and pans while emergency vehicle sirens blared in the background in footage shared on social media.
According to CNN anchor and correspondent Omar Jimenez, reporting from the scene, the protesters were trying to “get inside” the building.
He said: “You can see and hear how much noise they are making. Truly making as much noise as humanly possible. This is at least the second hotel they have been to in the Minneapolis downtown area.”
Sharing a clip of Jimenez’s report on social media site X, Fox News host Laura Ingraham said: “A mob attacks a hotel and drives out police—clearly with the aim of finding and killing ICE agents. Where is the National Guard, Gov Walz?”
Newly released video footage has shown Good speaking to ICE agent Ross from her vehicle before the confrontation escalated moments before she was shot in the street in broad daylight.
The Trump administration stated that Good accelerated her SUV toward Ross, while critics, including Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey, have argued she was merely trying to drive away.
Ross fired three shots, including one through the vehicle’s windshield, striking Good in the head. Her car then collided with two parked vehicles.
Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem said Good “attempted to run over a law enforcement officer” in what she described as an act of “domestic terrorism”, before being shot.
Local leaders and officials, and the Minneapolis City Council, have disputed that account, and questions remain about what led to the use of deadly force.
What People Are Saying
A protester identified as Drey, 27, said: “I don’t know for sure they are here but we will do whatever it takes to keep Minneapolis safe.”
Software developer Erik, 31, said: “Get out of Minneapolis. They are only fanning the flames.”
Susan, 41, a St. Paul resident who works at a law firm in downtown Minneapolis, said: “It feels good to yell and scream and let out all of my feelings. My neighborhood is very diverse. If you were to remove all the diversity, I wouldn’t want to live there. We celebrate difference and diversity here.”
Noem said: “She then proceeded to weaponize her vehicle, and she attempted to run a law enforcement officer over. This appears as an attempt to kill or to cause bodily harm to agents, an act of domestic terrorism.”
Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey said the agency’s self-defense assertions were “bulls—.”
Minnesota Governor Tim Walz said: “The state will ensure there is a full, fair, and expeditious investigation to ensure accountability and justice.”
President Donald Trump said: “The woman driving the car was very disorderly, obstructing and resisting, who then violently, willfully, and viciously ran over the ICE Officer, who seems to have shot her in self-defense.”
What Happens Next
The FBI is leading an investigation into the shooting. Its outcome is likely to influence both local and national debates over ICE operations and law enforcement accountability in immigration cases.
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