Trump Threatens to Invoke Insurrection Act to Halt Minneapolis Protests

Context of the Protests

President of the United States, Donald Trump, has threatened to invoke a rarely used federal law to deploy troops in the state of Minnesota, where protests are taking place in response to two shootings in the city of Minneapolis over the past week, linked to his strict immigration measures. "If the corrupt politicians in Minnesota do not uphold the law and stop professional agitators and insurgents from attacking the patriots of the I.C.E. agency who are simply trying to do their job, I will institute the INSURRECTION ACT, as many presidents before me have done, and I will quickly put an end to the tragedy unfolding in that once-great state," Trump wrote on social media.

Concerning Incidents

The comment was posted a day after a federal agent shot and wounded a Venezuelan man in Minneapolis. The federal agent stated that two individuals attacked him with a shovel and a broom while he was confronting the man, whom the Trump administration has accused of being in the United States illegally. The incident escalated tensions a week after an I.C.E. agent fatally shot a 37-year-old American woman, Renee Good, in her car, prompting global outrage and demonstrations nationwide.

Situation in Minneapolis

The streets of Minneapolis have been filled with smoke, as federal officers, wearing gas masks and helmets, fired tear gas at a small crowd while protesters threw stones and launched fireworks. Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey described the situation as "unsustainable." "This is an impossible situation in which our city currently finds itself, while we are trying to find a way to protect people and maintain order," he stated.

Mass Arrests

The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) announced that it had made over 2,000 arrests in Minnesota since the beginning of December and pledges not to back down. DHS accused Mayor Frey and Minnesota Governor Tim Walz, both Democrats, of encouraging resistance against I.C.E. with "hate-filled rhetoric," an accusation Frey has rejected. Minneapolis Police Chief Brian O'Hara urged crowds he described as "engaging in illegal acts" to disperse, emphasizing: "We do not need this situation to escalate further."