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Anger over the tragic shooting of a Minnesota activist by a federal immigration officer ignited a wave of protests across America’s largest cities this weekend.
From New York to Texas to California, demonstrators took to the streets in volatile anti-ICE protests, leading to arrests and raising concerns about potential nationwide unrest.
In Austin, police reported that at least three individuals were detained after officers intervened against protesters near the intersection of South Congress and East Sixth Street. This followed a march that began at the J.J. Pickle Federal Building.
Footage from the scene captured tense moments as officers pushed through the crowd, with protesters shouting and one individual offering support to a handcuffed marcher, exclaiming, “We’re with you.”
Texas officials have made it clear that they are adopting a stringent approach to handling these protests.
Governor Greg Abbott said the Texas Department of Public Safety ‘was not putting up with defiant protesters’, and Lt. Chris Olivarez, a DPS spokesperson, emphasized that while peaceful assembly is protected, ‘violence, threats to the public or law enforcement, obstruction of roadways, and damage to property will not be tolerated.’
The clashes in Austin unfolded as part of a broader national backlash to the killing of Renee Nicole Good, a 37-year-old mother who was fatally shot and killed during a confrontation with US Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents in Minneapolis on Wednesday.
That incident ignited protests under the banner ‘ICE Out for Good,’ with demonstrations reported from coast to coast.
An anti-ICE protester is arrested during a late night protest in Minneapolis
Police on bikes were seen charging into a crowd of agitators near the intersection of S Congress and E 6th streets
Austin Police detained at least three anti-ICE agitators as protests escalate in Texas
Federal agents escort gather before a rally for Renee Good, who was fatally shot by an ICE officer earlier in the week, at a federal building in Minneapolis on Saturday
Federal officials have insisted the ICE agent who fired acted in self-defense, claiming Good ‘weaponized’ her SUV – a narrative fiercely disputed by protesters and local officials who have branded the shooting a ‘murder.’
As outrage intensified, cities across the country braced for escalating confrontations. In Austin and Los Angeles, protests turned chaotic as law enforcement moved in to clear streets, disperse crowds, and make arrests.
Austin
Chaos erupted in downtown Austin on Saturday night as police charged into a screaming crowd of anti-ICE demonstrators who had blocked traffic near the J.J. Pickle Federal Building.
Video from the scene showed officers on bicycles and on foot rushing protesters as chants echoed through the street. One demonstrator could be heard shouting, ‘We’re with you,’ as another protester was dragged away in handcuffs.
An Austin Police Department spokesperson confirmed that at least five people were arrested during the clashes.
Police on bikes could be seen slowly advancing towards the protestors before charging
In Austin, police detained at least five protestors during the anti-ICE demonstrations outside the J.J. Pickle Federal Building Saturday night
Law enforcement declared the gathering an unlawful assembly as crowds blocked intersections and disrupted downtown traffic
Video captured clashes between state and local police and protesters outside the federal building before the march continued down major downtown corridors
Protesters gather during a rally for Renee Good, who was fatally shot by an ICE officer in Minneapolis
Chants condemning ICE echoed through the streets as protesters marched between federal buildings
Officials said additional arrests were possible as investigations into the protest continued
Protester attend a rally for Renee Good, who was fatally shot by an ICE officer on Wednesdy
Officers deployed pepper balls in an effort to disperse the crowd, while Texas Department of Public Safety troopers were also on scene.
Authorities said it remained unclear whether city or state police made the arrests or fired the projectiles.
The confrontation followed hours of escalating tension.
The protest, organized under the banner ‘End ICE Terror,’ began near the federal building before demonstrators marched through downtown streets, repeatedly returning to the site where federal agents and local police had established a heavy presence.
Earlier in the day, hundreds gathered peacefully at Austin City Hall, chanting ‘No peace! No fear! Immigrants are welcome here!’ as a brass band played. But by nightfall, the mood had shifted.
Protesters marched repeatedly through downtown, circling back to the federal building
A protester holds a sign at a demonstration calling for an end to federal immigration enforcement operations
Some protestors could be seen waving an upside-down American flag – a traditional signal of distress
Hundreds protest against ICE outside of Austin City Hall in Austin, Texas, on Saturday
Protesters demanded justice for Renee Nicole Good and an end to ICE operations
Video from CBS Austin showed protesters clashing with police near Congress Avenue and East Sixth Street, where demonstrators blocked traffic.
Federal officers were heard warning members of the media that the situation would become ‘spicy’ if crowds did not clear the roadway.
Austin resident Joanna Ford, an eighth-grade teacher, said Good’s death has shaken her students – including two who recently fled Venezuela.
‘What are we doing, you know? It’s just really disheartening,’ Ford said to KUT. ‘I feel like Ms. Good’s death is now going to be a catalyst, and if nothing changes after this, then I’m sorry. I feel like we’re doomed to become a fascist state.’
Retired city employee Elizabeth Gray called the shooting ‘entirely avoidable,’ arguing that ICE’s presence in cities like Austin represents a breakdown between local and federal authority.
‘I think it symbolized a complete separation of government, what government is supposed to do and what government is doing,’ Gray said to Austin Public Radio.
‘And I think that this murder symbolized the complete failure of our government to do – to be of, by and for the people.’
Austin-area Congressman Greg Casar joined the rally, urging demonstrators to keep showing up as he read a note from Good’s wife emphasizing ‘there is good in this world.’
‘There has to be a world where things get better,’ Casar said.
Los Angeles
In Los Angeles, hundreds of demonstrators flooded downtown streets on Saturday night, prompting police to issue dispersal orders and form skirmish lines outside federal facilities.
The protest centered around Pershing Square before crowds marched toward City Hall and the Metropolitan Detention Center.
By 6pm, the LAPD issued a dispersal order covering Alameda Street from Aliso Street to Temple Street, citing public safety concerns.
Police said several people were arrested after refusing to leave the area.
‘The dispersal order was issued and those people refused to leave the area as instructed to do so,’ LAPD said in a statement.
In LA anti-ICE demonstrations turned confrontational as hundreds marched downtown
Police issued dispersal orders outside federal facilities
Some protestors held the Stars & Stripes upside down as a form of protest
Police in riot gear could be seen waiting to deal with any conflicts
LAPD declared unlawful assemblies during the unrest, signaling a shift from peaceful protest to crowd control actions
Officers formed lines of resistance using the patrol cars to create a barrier to protestors
Thousands marched downtown and police issued dispersal orders outside federal facilities
Protesters refused orders to clear the streets
Video from the scene showed officers advancing in formation as protesters shouted slogans condemning ICE and federal immigration enforcement.
Demonstrations had already erupted across Southern California the night before, including in Santa Ana, where Department of Homeland Security officers were seen forcibly pulling individuals from a crowd.
Among the protesters was Ruben Garcia, 64, a Los Angeles native wearing a Dodgers jersey and waving an upside-down American flag – a traditional signal of distress.
‘The bottom line is, we’re really angry,’ Garcia said. ‘They shot a woman.’
Nationwide, protests have also flared in Portland, Oregon, New York City, Boston, and Philadelphia, with organizers saying more than 1,000 demonstrations were planned under the slogan ‘ICE Out for Good’ – a phrase referencing both ICE and the slain activist.
A protester raises a fist as others hold signs during a demonstration calling for an end to federal immigration enforcement operations
Los Angeles saw hundreds flood downtown streets in protest of ICE
There appeared to be a sense of humor in Portland, Oregon as activists help signs during a protest near Legacy Emanuel Hospital
Portland saw crowds gather along the Willamette River to protest ICE
Anti-ICE activists display signs during a protest in Portland, Oregon
A person dressed as a bald eagle walks around as demonstrators rally outside the JFK Federal building to protest the killing of Renee Nicole Good by an ICE agent in Boston, Massachusetts
Boston saw demonstrators take to the streets amid growing anger over federal immigration enforcement
Boston joined a growing list of cities mobilizing under the nationwide ‘ICE Out for Good’ protests
A person dressed up as ‘king Trump’ dances as demonstrators gathered to protest
Protesters gathered in downtown Boston chanting against ICE and condemning the shooting of Renee Nicole Good
Minneapolis
In Minneapolis, where Good was killed, thousands marched from Powderhorn Park to Lake Street, chanting her name through immigrant neighborhoods.
Mayor Jacob Frey said most protests had remained peaceful although 29 were arrested on Friday night for vandalizing property.
‘We will not counter Donald Trump’s chaos with our own brand of chaos in Minneapolis,’ Frey insisted.
In Washington, demonstrators gathered outside the White House chanting ‘ICE out for Good!’ as rain poured down.
In New York City, first-time protesters packed Lower Manhattan outside ICE’s field office.
Federal agents look on as protesters gather during a rally for Renee Good in Minneapolis
A counter-protester, who described themselves as a white christian nationalist and is wearing a medieval helmet, stands near people who gathered during a vigil in Portland
A protester is arrested by federal agents outside the Bishop Henry Whipple Federal Building in Minneapolis
Activists protest the Wednesday shooting death of Renee Good in Minneapolis at Pershing Square in Los Angeles on Saturday
Los Angeles joined several US cities mobilizing under the ‘ICE Out for Good’ banner.
Demonstrators gathered in Pershing Square before marching toward City Hall
Los Angeles saw hundreds flood downtown streets in protest of federal immigration enforcement
Leah Silverman, a 20-year-old college student from Arizona, said she joined the New York protest after watching footage of Good’s death.
‘People are willing to ignore what their eyes see,’ she said to the New York Times. ‘I’m here to say that I’m disappointed and angry with what I saw.’
Federal authorities maintain that the shooting was justified, while local officials in Minnesota have accused federal agencies of excluding them from the investigation.
Cell phone footage reportedly taken by the agent involved has only fueled controversy, showing Good telling officers, ‘I’m not mad at you,’ moments before shots rang out.
As protests continue to spread police are preparing for more clashes over the weekend with the killing of Good has becoming a flashpoint in the Trump administration’s immigration crackdown.
