Shorts: ICE Out Of MN/Hey Hey Goodbye #target #sitins

 

ICE Out Of Minnesota Target Sit-Ins: 1300 University Avenue Saint Paul, MN 1/31/2026

This is from the the Target sit-ins at the University Ave Saint Paul location towards the end of the sit-in and protest. It was great to see so many people who showed up.

Thank you to everyone there, those who organized; and to the two women who said hello to me while there--thank you so much for the kind words.

I will be looking to add images in a later post.

Everyone From The Citizen Church Protests Are Out But Federal Cases Are Still Pending

It is great that everyone who was picked up for the Citizen Church protests are no longer in custody and they can be home with their families. 

But it is key to remember that they still have federal cases against them.

Some like Nekima Levy Armstrong and Chauntyll Allen (and there could be others with similar restrictions) have had to surrender their passports and cannot leave the state. 

And there are still questions surrounding due process. 

Until those federal cases are have been dropped (at the very least) there continues to be no justice.

Stand With Georgia Fort, Trahern Jeen Crews, Jamael Lydell Lundy, And Don Lemon

Link To Live Video

Earlier this morning local independent journalist Georgia Fort as well as protesters Trahern Jeen Crews, and Jamael Lydell Lundy were taken into custody by federal agents. National independent journalist Don Lemon was also taken into custody as well. Fort and Lemon were taken into custody for covering the Citizen Church protest while Crews and Lundy were taken into custody for being protesters at the church.

This was Pam Bondi's message on X.

We should all remember our 1st Amendment Rights at this time as we stand with them in protest and power. We should all remember these were not coordinated "attacks" but a protest to help try and shine a light on where ICE leaders are hiding as they are all complicit in what is happening in our state.

First Amendment

Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the Government for a redress of grievances.

Renée Good Vigil And Rally

We all saw the video. We saw it from different views. On different channels. And we saw what really happened. And we heard from people talking about bad training and what you would never do. But that was still done anyway.

Renée Good's last words before being shot and murdered by Jonathan Ross, "That's fine, dude. I'm not mad at you".

We came together as a community to grieve, to mourn, and to repudiate what was oppressing us in the aftermath of the shooting.

Below are pictures from the Renée Good vigil and rally on Portland Ave and 34th on 1/7/2026.

Click on an image for a larger picture.

Community members right behind the main speakers and memorial

The rest of the street from the middle on back, filled with ralliers and vigil participants

Overflow of people onto sidewalks and lawns

The bottom of a smaller memorial with an "ICE Out" sign with candles and flowers

The top of the memorial with a poster of Renée Good

The full view of the memorial and people standing next to it as they listened to the speakers

People who were on their way to the memorial and rally

Another view from phone of community members in support

Alex Pretti Protest/Rally After The Shooting And Murder

As I think about this now, I can only say that I never thought we would be where we are in such a short amount of time. As I watched the news play out on MSNBC, inbetween charging batteries, and fielding text messages, like others I saw the standoff. Saw what I thought was peaceful--and yes angry--because a man was murdered, and what we heard from the government we knew we couldn't trust. We needed to see everything with our own eyes, and the rhetoric and politicizing was already beginning.

And this was just a little more than two weeks after Renée Good was shot, murdered as she was driving away with her partner, by a federal ICE agent.

And then it rang true. Alex Pretti had a conceal and carry permit. He lawfully was able to have a gun. He didn't point it at anyone. He was trying to get away, pulled back by ICE, to get disarmed and murdered. If he would have shot in self-defense he would have been seen as the aggressor, a murderer. A domestic terrorist. Everything ICE, Bovino, and Kristy Noem were saying he was, even though he was not.

If murder alone was not enough, it was also trying to be covered up in front of our eyes in real-time. Together they are the fuel that has brought so many people together to grieve, to mourn, and to fight.

Below are pictures after the first standoff between protesters and federal agents after Alex Pretti was shot and murdered. These were taken on Nicollet Ave AKA Eat Street in the hours after the shooting on 1/24/2026.

Click on an image for a larger picture.

Community members sitting on a couch/barricade

Standing on top of a dumpster used as a portion of the barricade

People starting top create the memorial for Alex Pretti

Continuation of the memorial building for Alex Pretti

Higher view of the memorial in progress

Image of the crowd from the back with Glam Donuts to the right, who provided donuts and coffee

Side view of the crowd closer to the speakers

Protester standing above one of the dumpsters used for speakers

One of the speakers, who was detained illegally by ICE, speaking to the crowd with other protesters in support with their arms up

Another protester and speaker along with some others and a press person

Protesters there who started a fire to stay warm (presumably as I did not talk with them)

Some Of The Weapons Being Used On Protesters By ICE After The Alex Pretti Shooting

These pictures were taken on Nicollet in front of Eat Street Dentists after the initial standoff between the first wave of protesters and federal agents. These pictures are not only for documentation but to familiarize other community on the types of weapons being used so they can gather more information on type and size (albeit no one should assume these are the only types of cannisters being used).

Taking a page from Hong Kong protesters, these look like they should fit underneath orange cones to direct the smoke and then use water to extinguish them.

In Video: Clips From The Alex Pretti Protest On 1/24/2026

While I will post more on the Alex Pretti protest/vigil, here are two videos of the protest that were taken on 1/24/2026 down at Eat Street on Nicollet Ave.

Alex Pretti Protest - "Say His Name" Chant - 1/24/2026

This video is from the Alex Pretti protest after he was shot and killed by ICE agents in Minneapolis on Nicollet Ave on Eat Street and contains a clip of crowd chanting "Say His Name".

Alex Pretti Protest - Combined Chant Footage - 1/24/2026

Warning: This video is from the Alex Pretti protest after he was shot and killed by ICE agents in Minneapolis on Nicollet Ave on Eat Street and contains strong language. This video is a small compilation of clips of three different chants: Ice Out (2x from different views) and Say His Name.

A First Post

Welcome to those who have found there way here. 

This blog is designed to document the protests and other activities and news around the ICE occupation here in MN; for articles and other op-ed; archival purposes.

As the site is just getting up and running, and there have been to multiple protests and vigils, posting will sometimes be, not always in chronological order of what may have already happened.

All photos and videos, unless where noted differently, are taken by me, Adam Chau (blogger, writer, photographer, videographer, etc.). In the future I will post a proper bio.

Stay safe out there.