President Trump has issued a warning to employ the US military against demonstrators in Minnesota by citing the Insurrection Act in order to halt the ongoing unrest.
The seldom-used Insurrection Act grants the President the authority to deploy military forces within the US to suppress rebellion or violence. This allows him to bypass the authority of State governors and local leaders and mobilize National Guard troops from other regions to Minnesota. The situation in Minnesota may warrant the activation of this act, but any move by Trump to utilize the military against American citizens would mark a significant escalation. The act has been previously invoked by George W. Bush to quell the 1992 LA riots and by Lyndon B Johnson during the 1960s to address riots in Detroit and unrest following the assassination of Martin Luther King Jr.
Trump has alleged, without evidence, that protests against ICE operations in Minnesota are fabricated and orchestrated by “professional” individuals. This unsubstantiated claim aligns with a conspiracy theory propagated by his administration, suggesting that dissent and protests against him are part of a coordinated effort by a clandestine network of “radical leftist” figures. Trump has threatened to invoke the act on multiple occasions in response to protests in Portland and Los Angeles. Despite the Department for Homeland Security reporting over 2,000 arrests in Minnesota since early December, criticism has been widespread for targeting protesters who are lawfully demonstrating.
Mayor Jacob Frey of Minneapolis has described the current situation as unsustainable, noting the overwhelming federal presence in the city, which is five times larger than the local police force and has caused fear and frustration among residents.
The recent threat from the President follows an incident where a federal immigration officer shot and injured a Minneapolis man who had attacked the officer. This shooting further heightened the tension in the city, which has been on edge since the fatal shooting of Renee Good by an Immigration and Customs Enforcement agent.
Amidst the escalating tensions, clashes between federal officers and protesters occurred in Minneapolis, with tear gas being deployed by the authorities and protesters responding with rocks and fireworks. Police Chief Brian O’Hara declared the gathering as an unlawful assembly, urging people to disperse.
Subsequently, the situation calmed down, with only a few demonstrators and law enforcement officers remaining at the scene by early Thursday morning.
Demonstrations have become a common sight on the streets of Minneapolis following the shooting of Good by an ICE agent. Agents have been involved in confrontations with locals, leading to demands from bystanders for their withdrawal from the area.