The U.S. Department of Justice unsealed charges on June 16 against 15 members and associates of Direct Action Minnesota for conspiracy, stalking, threats, assaults on officers, and property damage tied to blocking ICE’s Operation Metro Surge in the Twin Cities. U.S. Attorney Daniel Rosen described their actions as a shift from voicing dissent to using force against federal operations, with evidence from encrypted chats and rapid blockades at the Whipple Federal Building. Twelve defendants were arrested that day, one was already in custody, and two remain at large; supporters rallied outside court, leading to pepper spray deployment by U.S. Marshals amid chants of ‘ICE out of MN.’ The case highlights tensions between protecting officers and First Amendment concerns raised by critics.
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