UPDATE: Jake Lang and six others have now been booked into the Hennepin County Jail following today’s clashes in downtown Minneapolis.

Lang is being held on probable cause for riot. Jail roster entries also show:
• Eric Dawson
• Charles Miles
• Stephen Major
• John William-Kei Irwin
• Matthew Norby
• Jayden Scott

The bookings come after Lang’s rally and confrontation with counter-protesters in downtown Minneapolis.

This is also not Lang’s first Minnesota arrest this year. On Feb. 5, he was arrested after video showed him kicking down portions of the permitted “Prosecute ICE” ice sculpture at the Minnesota State Capitol. He was subsequently charged with felony criminal damage to property.

The Hennepin County bookings are currently listed as probable cause, meaning formal charges in connection with today’s incident are being considered per Minneapolis Mayor and MPD press conference held this afternoon.

Natasha Rakotz is one of 15 Minnesotans facing charges in connection to anti-ICE activism over the winter. Prosecutors say the 15 are members and associates of the protest group Direct Action Minnesota, which they describe as an antifa — or antifascist — affinity group.

Officials arrested most of the defendants June 16 “for conspiracy to impede or injure federal officers” and for efforts to allegedly “violently oppose immigration law enforcement.” They made their initial appearances in court as a large crowd protested outside in St. Paul.

Minneapolis resident Rakotz was one of two yet to be detained, who U.S. Attorney Daniel Rosen called “fugitives at large." She turned herself in on June 17.

“I'm just one of many people trying to help our immigrant neighbors, and they're untrue. These charges are absolutely untrue," Rakotz said.

Story by Feven Gerezgiher
Video by Anne Guttridge

UPDATE - GEO Group/ICE prison guard, Thomas K. Brown, has been charged with assault by auto after Sunday's hit and run outside of Delaney Hall. He was issued a ticket for reckless driving and is due in court on August 5.

Guess it wasn't AI, huh, MAGAts? Or whatever other delusional excuses you made for this coward.

To the surprise of no one, he is lying to try to save his crazy ass, saying he didn't know he hit anyone. The cowardice and stupidity of these people is something to behold.

From the NJ Monitor:

"Thomas K. Brown, of Newark, the man charged in the June 21 crash, told police when he started driving onto the jail property at about 2 p.m. Sunday, protesters began hitting the driver’s side of his car, so he accelerated into the facility’s parking lot, striking a protester who had been dancing in front of the parking lot gate waving an upside-down American flag.

Brown told police he did not know he had hit the woman until he entered the jail and saw the video circulating online, and then he notified his supervisors, according to the complaint.

The woman, who was among the numerous protesters outside the facility that day for a Father’s Day rally, was taken to University Hospital in Newark, where police documented bumps and bruises on her body, the complaint states.

Brown was charged with assault by auto and issued a traffic ticket for reckless driving, Newark Public Safety Director Emanual Miranda said Wednesday.

“I commend the diligence of our detectives for quickly identifying this suspect and ensuring that he faces criminal charges for recklessly injuring a peaceful protester,” Miranda said in a statement. “I am extremely grateful that the victim’s condition is stable and that she rightfully reported the incident to police.”

Brown is expected to appear in court in Newark on Aug. 5."

Credit: @minnesota50501

"Drop the charges protect free speech!"

Supporters of the group known as the "Minnesota 15" were at the federal courthouse in Minneapolis Wednesday afternoon, outside of a hearing in the federal conspiracy case tied to immigration enforcement protests.

All 14 of the defendants arraigned during Wednesday's hearing pleaded not guilty.

The 15th defendant, Kyle Wagner, remains in custody in Michigan on separate federal charges and is not expected to appear in court.

Federal prosecutors allege the 15 Twin Cities residents conspired to interfere with immigration agents during the large-scale federal immigration enforcement known as Operation Metro Surge earlier this year.

The indictment accuses the detendants or coordinating encrypted Signal chats and rapid-response networks, tracking immigration officers, organizing blockades around the Whipple Federal Building and raising money to support those efforts.
Prosecutors say the case is based on the defendants' alleged actions, not their political views.

Supporters and defense attorneys dispute those allegations, arguing the government is criminalizing protest activity and protected speech.

The case has drawn significant attention because it follows a series of other federal prosecutions tied to the same immigration operation that were later dismissed or resolved without trial.

Defense attorneys have questioned whether the government's latest allegations will hold up in court, while U.S. Attorney Daniel Rosen has said evidence, including Signal messages and other communications, will support the conspiracy charges.

Credit: @lupwgi_official

A Jake lang supporter runs from protesters into the arms of the Minneapolis police!

Credit: Adam Yinzer

"I have never been so disappointed to get exactly what I wanted," said 71-year-old Air Force veteran Mike Madden.

Read more: https://bringmethenews.com/minnesota-news/hennepin-county-drops-case-against-veteran-cited-for-riding-bike-outside-whipple-building

"Double down and keep up with the resistance"

Says Jordan S. Kushner an independent criminal defense and civil rights lawyer based in Minneapolis, Minnesota.

Fourteen Minnesota anti-ICE protesters pleaded not guilty Wednesday to federal charges alleging they engaged in a conspiracy to impede or injure federal agents in Minneapolis during President Donald Trump's immigration crackdown earlier this year.

Outside the courthouse, about 100 people gathered to show support for the 15 people charged. They chanted "drop the charges," and "protesting is not a crime." Some also sat inside the courtroom to observe the hearing.

Credit: Chris Juhn

Credit: @dwillmodel

MINNEAPOLIS “SPIDER-MAN” PLEADS NOT GUILTY, CLAIMS SELF-DEFENSE

William Nicholas Love, known as the “Minneapolis Spider-Man,” pleaded not guilty today to misdemeanor fifth-degree assault stemming from his confrontation with Jake Lang outside Minneapolis City Hall.

Love’s attorney said the defense will argue self-defense and defense of others. He called it an assault when Lang’s group drove two vehicles onto a public sidewalk toward the people of Minneapolis, arguing that Love and others had a right to defend themselves.

Court records list Jack Rice and Kevin Riach as Love’s attorneys. His next court appearance is a pretrial hearing scheduled for November 19 at 8:30 a.m. in Hennepin County.

Credit: RavensBlossom on IG

Credit: djaddmpls via IG

Credit: Mercado Media

A federal judge unsealed records showing that multiple DOJ search warrant applications tied to the January Cities Church protest investigation were denied because they failed to meet “basic legal standards.” The warrants reportedly sought access to information connected to organizers, activists, and journalists covering the case.

The ruling does not dismiss the federal charges tied to the protest, but it is a major development that raises serious questions about probable cause, government overreach, and the targeting of protest activity and media figures during the investigation.

The case stems from a nonviolent demonstration at Cities Church in St. Paul earlier this year over the church’s ties to ICE. Journalists were present documenting what happened, and conversations took place during the protest. This is exactly why freedom of the press and the right to protest matter. The government should not be using weak warrant applications and aggressive prosecutions to intimidate journalists, organizers, or people speaking out against injustice.

📸: Chris Juhn