Protests in Minnesota extended beyond Minneapolis this week as demonstrators gathered outside a hotel in Maple Grove where they believed federal immigration personnel were staying. The demonstration was part of a larger series of protests sparked by recent deadly federal-involved shootings and intensified immigration enforcement in the Twin Cities area.
According to authorities, the Maple Grove Police Department responded after a crowd outside the SpringHill Suites by Marriott grew large and some individuals allegedly engaged in unlawful behavior, including throwing objects and damaging property. Police declared the demonstration an unlawful assembly after issuing orders to disperse, and several people who remained were taken into custody. Local agencies — including the Minnesota State Patrol and Hennepin County Sheriff’s Office — assisted in the response.
Those gathered had reportedly shown up amid continued opposition to federal immigration operations and the controversial shooting of Alex Pretti, a U.S. citizen killed by Border Patrol agents in Minneapolis during a protest earlier in the week.
Video and eyewitness accounts from prior Minneapolis protests also show law enforcement, including state police and other local agencies, using crowd‐control tools such as pepper spray, tear gas, and flash-bang devices after demonstrators closed in on officers or refused dispersal orders.
In addition, reports and footage from ongoing demonstrations indicate that authorities have employed a Long-Range Acoustic Device (LRAD) — a powerful directional speaker used to deliver loud warnings and messages to crowds — as part of crowd-management efforts. An LRAD was captured on video by bystanders during protests in Minneapolis; while its primary purpose is to issue commands and warnings, its use has drawn attention due to its intense sound output and potential impact on hearing.
Local leaders say they are focused on maintaining public safety while balancing demonstrators’ rights to assemble and express grievances about immigration enforcement actions. Both police and state public safety officials have emphasized that individuals engaging in criminal acts — including property damage or refusing lawful dispersal orders — risk arrest and prosecution.
