Witnesses say ICE agents tear gassed staff and students and may have taken some staff members into custody.
MINNEAPOLIS โ ICE agents descended on Roosevelt High School in Minneapolis on Wednesday, just hours after an agent shot and killed a woman near Powderhorn Park.ย
Witnesses say ICE agents tear-gassed staff and students and may have taken some staff members into custody. Minneapolis Public Schools canceled classes for Thursday and Friday, citing “safety concerns.”
Evan Johnson was walking his dog near the school around 3:30 p.m. when he heard sirens and what sounded like a car crash. He said dozens of ICE agents gathered in front of the school, and “skirmishes” between agents, students and staff began to occur.ย
“All of a sudden, a few high school-age kids came running and looking scared and maybe even tearful,” Johnson said. “And -there was a woman right next to me, who was going to head over and start filming herself. And she told this little boy to get into her car – she asked him first if he was afraid of what’s going on. And he just said, ‘ICE is here.'”
Minnesota Public Radio reported ICE agents handcuffed two staff members.ย
Protestors gathered outside the school, blowing whistles and raising signs, Johnson said. As for the sound of the car crash, Johnson said he saw four ICE SUVs surrounding a car that appeared as if it had been T-boned on the passenger side. Johnson said the crashed car looked like a civilian car, not like the SUVs that ICE agents were driving.ย
Minneapolis Public Schools provided this statement on Wednesday’s events:
“Minneapolis Public Schools (MPS) is aware of an incident that happened after school yesterday, outside of Roosevelt High School. This incident involved federal law enforcement agents and is currently under investigation. We are working with our partners including the City of Minneapolis and others to support the individuals directly impacted. Minneapolis Public Schools is committed to maintaining a safe and welcoming learning environment for all of our students. All MPS schools are closed today, January 8 and tomorrow, January 9 out of an abundance of caution.”
