Lightnews — Scholar-powered news

Reposted by Winston Smith

Raider

@iwillnotbesilenced.bsky.social

Minnesota won't forget.
🕊️🕯️🕊️🕯️🕊️

January 25, 2026 at 2:46 AM

Reposted by Winston Smith

Aaron Reichlin-Melnick

@reichlinmelnick.bsky.social

You have to read this. Firsthand affidavit from one of the women who was there and recording the video. She talks about how Alex Pretti was directing traffic when she arrived. She watched him be killed in front of her. She's afraid to go home, worried she'll be arrested.

1. I am a resident of the Whittier neighborhood of Minneapolis, Minnesota. I am over 18 years of age. I am a children's entertainer who specializes in face painting.
2. On Saturday, January 24, 2026, at about 8:50 am, I was getting ready to go to work when I heard whistles outside. I knew the whistles meant that ICE agents were in the area, so I decided to check it out on my way to work. I've been involved in observing in my community because it is so important to document what ICE is doing to my neighbors. Connecting to your local community and knowing who your neighbors are is something I profoundly value.
3. I drove to Nicollet Ave. and 26th where I could hear the whistles coming from. I turned south onto Nicollet. There were already several ICE agents there and they'd set up a sort of vehicle convoy on Nicollet and 28th. There were also about 15 observers there, recording and observing ICE.
4. I saw ICE agents surrounding cars and punching car windows. I also saw them stopping vehicles further down Nicollet, so I backed up because I didn't feel safe continuing on.
5. I noticed a man sort of acting to help traffic move more smoothly. He helped me find a place to park. I got out with my whistle and my camera. I went over to him and said something like, "I'm going to film and use my whistle."
6. It seemed like most ICE activity was happening a little farther down the street from us, near 27th. Someone was being thrown to the ground.

7. I started recording. There was an agent by a car across the street. Two observers were a few feet away from the agent, blowing their whistles. One was wearing a backpack.
8. I and the man who was observing and helping direct traffic were standing in the street. There was a phone in the man's hand recording a video.
9. An agent approached and asked us to back up, so I moved slowly back onto the sidewalk.
10. The man stayed in the street, filming as the other observers I mentioned earlier were being forced backward by another ICE agent threatening them with pepper spray. The man went closer to support them as they got threatened, just with his camera out. I didn't see him reach for or hold a gun.
11. Then the ICE agent shoved one of the other observers to the ground. Then he started pepper spraying all three of them directly in the face and all over. The man with the phone put his hands above his head and the agent sprayed him again and pushed him.
12. Then the man tried to help up the woman the ICE agent had shoved to the ground. The ICE agents just kept spraying. More agents came over and grabbed the man who was still trying to help the woman get up. All three of the observers looked to have been badly affected by the pepper spray. I could feel the pepper spray in my eyes.

13. The agents pulled the man on the ground. I didn't see him touch any of them-he wasn't even turned toward them. It didn't look like he was trying to resist, just trying to help the woman up. I didn't see him with a gun. They threw him to the ground. Four or five agents had him on the ground and they just started shooting him. They shot him so many times.
14.1 don't know why they shot him. He was only helping. I was five feet from him and they just shot him.
15. The video I recorded of what happened accurately depicts the events leading up to the agents shooting him and several minutes afterwards. The video is attached as Exhibit 1.
16. I have read the statement from DHS about what happened and it is wrong. The man did not approach the agents with a gun. He approached them with a camera. He was just trying to help a woman get up and they took him to the ground.
17. I feel afraid. Only hours have passed since they shot a man right in front me and I don't feel like I can go home because I heard agents were looking for me. I don't know what the agents will do when they find me. I do know that they're not telling the truth about what happened. I've heard that other witnesses might have been arrested and taken to the Whipple Building.
18. I am disgusted and gutted at how they are treating my neighbors and my state. I keep alternating between crying and feeling determined it is important to remember the value of documenting injustice. We show up for the people who need us to bear

witness, because it can't just be one group of people bearing the brunt of their tyranny. This is a struggle to protect our freedom and democracy, those things are on the line. He lost his life for those values.
I declare under penalty of perjury that everything I have stated in this document is true and correct.

Dated and signed on Jan 24, 2026 in Hennepin County, State of Minnesota.

January 25, 2026 at 1:15 AM

Winston Smith

@winstonsmith2025.bsky.social

Suddenly it all starts to get clearer…

The Tennessee Holler @thetnholler.bsky.social · 1d

Of course

January 25, 2026 at 1:33 AM

Reposted by Winston Smith

The Tennessee Holler

@thetnholler.bsky.social

Of course

January 25, 2026 at 1:13 AM

Reposted by Winston Smith

The Tennessee Holler

@thetnholler.bsky.social

When you’re not the good guys in the story

January 16, 2026 at 4:36 AM

Reposted by Winston Smith

sher12.bsky.social

@sher12.bsky.social

share.google/e9kb1QFzVQKE...

Bless The Minneapolis General Strike Against ICE in -10°F

Bless these heroes!

share.google

January 24, 2026 at 2:02 PM

Reposted by Winston Smith

Nick Bednar

@nicholasbednar.bsky.social

There is now a video of the incident. It is predictably horrific and almost certainly fatal.

www.reddit.com/r/Minneapoli...

January 24, 2026 at 3:46 PM

Reposted by Winston Smith

South Carolina Department of Propaganda

@southcarolinadop.bsky.social

This one bears a repost

January 24, 2026 at 2:28 PM

Reposted by Winston Smith

Raider

@iwillnotbesilenced.bsky.social

María del Rosario Díaz García, the last time she heard from her son, he was traveling to Minneapolis to work at a restaurant. Now, she urgently needs assistance in retrieving his body from Nicaragua after his death in ICE detention.

January 24, 2026 at 5:22 AM

Reposted by Winston Smith

Ron Filipkowski

@ronfilipkowski.bsky.social

Blanche sends Ghislane Maxwell to Club Fed, kills an investigation of Ross, and launches an investigation of the victim. A truly evil bastard.

January 24, 2026 at 2:16 AM

Reposted by Winston Smith

Razzball

@razzball.bsky.social

Minnesota is the best of us.

January 23, 2026 at 10:52 PM

Reposted by Winston Smith

Raider

@iwillnotbesilenced.bsky.social

Protesters are seen marching in downtown Phoenix against ICE's nationwide domestic terrorism 1/23/2026

January 24, 2026 at 4:52 AM

Reposted by Winston Smith

Anonymous

@youranoncentral.bsky.social

While it is widely believed ICE is mass hiring unqualified recruits, those organizing and carrying out illegal operations; leading those with less experience are Iraq and Afghan war veterans; they were hired to act as Trump's paramilitary force, loyal only to the regime.

The image is an advertisement for U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) and the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) recruiting veterans

The image compares the operational settings and gear of the Military Special Response Team and the ICE Special Response Team.
Both teams appear to operate in similar tactical environments, suggesting comparable skill sets are valued in both roles.

The image is a screenshot of an exclusive news article from February 25, 2025, detailing a mass deportation plan circulated by allies of Donald Trump. The plan suggests using "processing camps" and a private citizen "army."

January 24, 2026 at 8:41 AM

Reposted by Winston Smith

The Tennessee Holler

@thetnholler.bsky.social

We see you Minnesota 👏🏽

January 23, 2026 at 11:04 PM

Reposted by Winston Smith

Wajahat Ali

@wajali.bsky.social

They did this to a white male veteran

abcnews.go.com/US/army-vet-...

Army vet detained by ICE for 8 hours says he wasn't allowed to call an attorney

Army veteran and Purple Heart recipient William Vermie told ABC News that he was tackled and arrested by ICE in Minneapolis and held for eight hours.

abcnews.go.com

January 24, 2026 at 4:52 AM

Reposted by Winston Smith

Kelly

@broadwaybabyto.bsky.social

In October, ICE grabbed Maher Tarabishi.

He was a 24/7 caregiver for his disabled son Wael.

At the time of Maher’s detention, disability advocates warned that taking away Wael’s caregiver put his life at risk.

Wael died on Friday at age 30.

ICE caused his death.

They didn’t get to say goodbye.

Disabled son of ICE detainee dies after 30 days of hospitalization

It had been months since Wael Tarabishi seen his father. The family is calling on ICE to release Maher Tarabishi so he may attend his son's funeral.

www.wfaa.com

January 24, 2026 at 3:01 AM

Winston Smith

@winstonsmith2025.bsky.social

When they get done targeting the immigrants and anyone of color.. they will be coming after everyone else who is against their nazi regime takeover.

Ken Klippenstein @kenklippenstein.bsky.social · 2d

ICE agent asked why he's taking pictures of a legal observer's car, replies: "Cuz we have a nice little database and now you're considered a domestic terrorist. So have fun with that."

January 23, 2026 at 7:48 PM

Reposted by Winston Smith

Raider

@iwillnotbesilenced.bsky.social

ICE is now operating on public school property in Minnesota. Recently, ICE goons were caught attempting to sneak into Columbia Heights High School. Fortunately, the administration was able to force them to leave. (1/22/26)

January 23, 2026 at 2:08 AM

Reposted by Winston Smith

David Leavitt

@davidleavitt.bsky.social

Why did these 7 Democrats vote yes?

Henry Cuellar of Texas
Jared Golden of Maine
Laura Gillen of New York
Marie Gluesenkamp Perez of Washington State
Don Davis of North Carolina
Tom Souzzi of New York
Vincente Gonzalez of Texas

a woman in a hijab is standing in front of a group of men with the words shame shame shame written below her

ALT: a woman in a hijab is standing in front of a group of men with the words shame shame shame written below her

media.tenor.com

January 22, 2026 at 10:03 PM

Reposted by Winston Smith

ltwlauren🤸‍♀️❤️🎶🎨🐾

@ltwlauren.bsky.social

Seven House Democrats voted YES to FUND ICE for another year!

Henry Cuellar - Texas
Vicente Gonzalez - Texas
Jared Golden - Maine
Marie G. Perez - Washington state
Don Davis - North Carolina
Laura Gillen - New York
Tom Suozzi - New York

Rep. Thomas Massie, Republican of Kentucky, voted NO.