In brief
A federal judge has ordered the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) to restrict its crowd control measures during upcoming protests in Minneapolis. This decision comes in light of recent public outcry following the shooting of a protester. The ruling prohibits the use of pepper spray and arrests on peaceful demonstrators, leading to heightened tensions as local officials call for orderly protests.
A US federal judge has issued an order limiting the crowd control tactics that can be used by Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents (ICE) towards peaceful and unobstructive protesters in Minneapolis.
Judge Katherine Menendez ruled on Friday night that federal agents can't arrest or pepper spray peaceful demonstrators, including those monitoring and observing ICE agents.
The ruling comes ahead of planned weekend protests against the widespread immigration action in the city and follows the fatal shooting of Renee Good by an ICE agent earlier this month.
The US Department of Homeland Security said it is taking measures to protect officers from rioters.
On Friday, Minnesota officials urge protesters expected to take to the streets this weekend to stay orderly and peaceful.
The state's National Guard has been placed on alert and other law enforcement officers have been deployed ahead of both expected anti-ICE demonstrations and a counter march being planned by a conservative influencer.
Judge Menendez's 83-page order bars federal agents from arresting and using pepper-spray or similar nonlethal munitions and crowd dispersal tools against persons who are engaging in peaceful and unobstructive protest activity.
The ruling, which stems from a lawsuit filed by a group of protesters in December, also limits agents from stopping or detaining drivers and passengers in vehicles where there is no reasonable articulable suspicion that they are forcibly obstructing or interfering with their work.
In a statement to CBS, the BBC's US partner, in response to the order, a spokesperson for the Department of Homeland Security said the agency is taking appropriate and constitutional measures to uphold the rule of law and protect our officers and the public from dangerous rioters.
The White House also criticized the ruling, calling it an absurd ruling that embraces a dishonest, left-wing narrative.
Minneapolis has been on edge since Good's 7 January shooting, with protests across the city. There have been some reported clashes between protesters and federal officers over the past week.
Additionally, on Friday, the justice department announced it was investigating two of the state's leading Democrats - Governor Tim Walz and Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey - over alleged attempts to impede federal immigration operations. Both have condemned the ICE operations in the city.
