At Least 50 Arrested After Protests Escalate Outside Minnesota Federal Building
Editor: Sudhir Choudhary
Date: February 8, 2026
MINNEAPOLIS, Minnesota — At least 50 people were arrested Saturday after a demonstration outside the Bishop Henry Whipple Federal Building in Minnesota escalated into unrest that law enforcement declared an unlawful assembly. The protest occurred on the one-month anniversary of Renee Nicole Good’s death and added to weeks of tension surrounding federal immigration enforcement operations in the Minneapolis area.
Authorities confirmed that the majority of arrests happened after some participants engaged in actions that deputies said threatened public safety. Officials declared the gathering unlawful after objects were thrown at law enforcement officers and property was damaged, prompting an escalation that ended with mass arrests.
The Protest and Escalation
Hundreds of demonstrators gathered Saturday outside the Bishop Henry Whipple Federal Building — a federal facility that includes an Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) field office — to mark one month since Good’s death. Good, a 37-year-old mother of three, was fatally shot by an ICE agent on January 7 during an enforcement action in Minneapolis, triggering widespread criticism and protests nationwide.
Officials with the Hennepin County Sheriff’s Office reported that while many participants initially protested peacefully, a faction of the crowd began throwing ice chunks and bottles at law enforcement lines. One deputy was struck in the head during the confrontation, and a vehicle’s windshield was broken, according to the sheriff’s office. In response, deputies along with support from the Minnesota State Patrol and Minnesota Department of Natural Resources officers declared the gathering an unlawful assembly and instructed attendees to disperse. Those who remained and failed to comply were taken into custody.
Arrests and Law Enforcement Action
According to law enforcement updates released Saturday afternoon, approximately 54 individuals were arrested during the unrest. Among those detained, 16 protesters were cited and released for unlawful assembly, one was cited and released after fleeing on foot, and several others were booked into Hennepin County Jail on charges including obstructing legal process and fourth-degree assault. Authorities stated that minimal force was used during the detentions, and no arrested individuals reported injuries; however, one deputy sustained a minor injury during the clash.
Officials have said that arrests were necessary to restore order after some demonstrators engaged in behavior that went beyond peaceful protest, including damaging property and targeting police with objects. The sheriff’s office noted that even amid the large gathering, many individuals remained peaceful, and law enforcement tried to exercise restraint before issuing the dispersal order.
Context and Community Response
The protest was one of the latest in a series of demonstrations tied to federal immigration enforcement tactics in Minnesota, particularly after Renee Good’s death and that of another Minneapolis resident, Alex Pretti, during a separate encounter with federal agents earlier in January. Those events have stirred local outrage and fueled activism against the ongoing operation known as Operation Metro Surge, under which thousands of ICE and Border Patrol agents have been active in the Twin Cities.
In addition to the demonstration outside the Whipple building, hundreds gathered earlier in the day at Powderhorn Park in Minneapolis for a memorial event honoring Good and Pretti. Speakers and community leaders emphasized grief, solidarity, and continued calls for changes to federal immigration policy.
Responses from ministers, activists, and civil rights groups have been varied. Indigenous organizations held parallel demonstrations, decrying immigration enforcement on historically significant community land and reiterating broader concerns about federal overreach.
Federal and Local Oversight
Law enforcement agencies have maintained that their primary responsibility is public safety, and they defended their actions as necessary once the assembly was declared unlawful. Deputies and participating agencies said they balanced the right to protest with the need to protect the building, responding officers, and bystanders from escalating tensions.
The Whipple Federal Building has been a focal point for protests since the winter enforcement surge began, with previous demonstrations and arrests tied to immigration policies and clashes between advocates and federal agents.
Ongoing Developments
As of now, the situation remains fluid. Law enforcement continues processing arrests, and community leaders have indicated that protests will persist in the coming days. Local officials and advocacy groups are also assessing legal and civil rights implications tied to arrests and law enforcement protocols.
Sources
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KSTP — Unlawful assembly declared, over 50 arrested outside Whipple building after deputy was struck in the head.
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The Associated Press — Police arrest protesters at Minneapolis federal building on 1-month anniversary of woman’s death.
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Newsweek — Dozens arrested at protest marking month since Renee Good’s death.
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MPR News — Indigenous-led demonstration serves ICE symbolic ‘eviction notice.’
Tags: Minneapolis protest, federal building arrests, Renee Good, immigration enforcement, ICE, Operation Metro Surge
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