Riots in the US do not subside after it 37-year-old single mother of three killed by US Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agent, Renee Nicole Goode, in Minneapolis. The protests, which started as peaceful gatherings, soon turned into mass demonstrations across the country, with clashes with police, arson and demands for justice and ICE reform. Citizens are demanding urgent changes in the approach to citizens and migrants, while the authorities are struggling to contain the wave of discontent by justifying the killing by the agent in "self-defense".
At least 29 people were arrested in Minneapolis during yesterday's protests, the BBC writes.
A police officer was also injured after a "chunk of ice" was thrown at him, city officials said, during a demonstration that drew about 1.000 people on Friday night, according to the BBC.
"An act of domestic terrorism": How and why an immigration agent killed a woman in the middle of the street
Protests against immigration enforcement took place across the US after Renee Nicole Goode was shot in her car on Wednesday. The protesters point to US President Donald Trump and his administration as the main political culprit for the escalation of the situation, which they accuse of using lies in an attempt to justify the murder and of showing no empathy towards the victim and the public.
De Niro: He won't go alone, he wants to harm my country
This situation was warned two months ago by the famous Hollywood actor Robert De Niro, who harshly criticized the President of the United States of America, Donald Trump, describing him as a person who "lacks empathy" and as an "alien" who wants to harm his own country.
During a guest appearance on MSNBC's "The Weekend" program, De Niro spoke about what he described as a deeply troubling psychological profile of Trump.
"Trump doesn't understand humanity. He has no empathy. I don't know where he is or what he is, but he is an alien and he wants to harm this country," the actor said.
He added that Trump wants to "lie, hurt people and not care about the consequences."
De Niro supported the protests against the president and said that Trump will not leave office voluntarily.
"We can't give up, because he doesn't want to leave the White House. He won't leave alone," De Niro said.
Speaking about the political climate, the actor said that politicians have to choose between two fears:
"Politicians will have to face it: they will either face the wrath of Trump or the wrath of the people — and they must be more afraid of the wrath of the people."
What is ICE?
ICE is leading the implementation of the Trump administration's mass deportation initiative, which was a central promise of his presidential campaign.
Trump has significantly expanded ICE's budget, powers and operations since returning to the White House.
The agency enforces immigration laws, conducts investigations against migrants without regulated status, and participates in their detention and deportation.
ICE was established by the Homeland Security Act of 2002 in response to the terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001.
Trump justifies murder
President Donald Trump has publicly defended a federal ICE agent, claiming that Renee Nicole Goode tried to "run over" the officer and that the agent acted in self-defense.
Trump described the victim on social media as "very unreasonable" and a person who "resisted and obstructed the police", claiming that she "violently, intentionally and maliciously tried to run over an ICE officer", who then fired "in self-defense", although available videos from the scene do not confirm that the agent was injured.
The president linked the incident to a broader political conflict, accusing the "radical left" of "threatening, attacking and targeting police officers and ICE agents."
Photo: Printscreen / Facebook / Renee Nicole GoodRene Nikol God
Murder defense of Christy Noem
Secretary of the US Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Kristi Noem spoke in a similar tone. At a press conference in Minnesota, she tried to justify the murder of Renee Nicole Goode, calling the incident an "act of domestic terrorism."
"This was an act of domestic terrorism. The agents were enforcing the law and faced danger when the vehicle attempted to be used as a weapon against them," Noem said.
She claimed the agents were "distracted and assaulted" by the vehicle, which she said tried to run over the federal agents.
"Our forces were trying to fulfill their duties. The woman, as we determined, used the vehicle as a weapon. The agent acted to protect himself and others," Noem said.
She added that the agent "acted in accordance with his training."
"The agent acted according to procedures when he was threatened — that's the standard of our agency," she stated.
Photo: Tanjug / AP Photo/Yuki IwamuraChristy Noem justifies the murder of a single mother at a press conference
Minneapolis Mayor: 'Bullshit'
The Guardian newspaper writes that the White House and its allies in the media and social networks immediately after the murder launched an avalanche of half-truths, misinformation and accusations in order to present the incident in advance as justified self-defense.
Democratic House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries called Christy Noah a "cold-blooded liar," accusing her of trying to frame the victim as a "domestic terrorist" without evidence.
"Noem claimed, without any evidence, that the murdered woman chased and obstructed ICE agents and attempted to hit them with a vehicle," Jeffries said.
Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey went a step further, calling "bullshit" the coordinated effort by the president and national security officials to immediately present the killing as justified self-defense, even though the video is unclear and the investigation has not even begun.
Minnesota Governor Tim Walz warned that "people in positions of power have already made their judgment."
"From the president to Kristi Noem — they've said things that are verifiably false," Walz said.
City under siege
Minneapolis is practically under siege. Protesters and security forces clashed in front of the federal building, when agents used pepper balls against the crowd.
Despite threats of arrest and police force, new protests have been announced, and the number of cities hosting them continues to grow, including Washington.
The wave of discontent, caused by the murder of Renee Nicole Goode and the reaction of the federal authorities, has no end in sight.
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