In the wake of increased ICE activity in Minneapolis, business owners and residents have started looking for ways to support their neighbors. For California Street Farm owner Elyssa Eull, this means direct action in coordination with a nearby elementary school.
Candles, signage and song: Vigils for Alex Pretti held across Minneapolis
On Jan. 24, after Alex Jeffrey Pretti was killed by federal agents working on behalf of Immigration Customs and Enforcement (ICE) in South Minneapolis, residents organized vigils across parks and on street corners, each taking place hours after the altercation.
NE resident sent to hospital after protesting ICE
Leon Virden was walking down an alleyway adjacent to Nicollet Avenue in South Minneapolis on Saturday, Jan. 24, when a tear gas canister came sailing at the people walking in the alley. It was just a few hours after federal agents had killed Alex Pretti in front of a donut shop on Nicollet.
Six Columbia Heights students detained by federal agents
On January 20, federal Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents detained 5-year-old Liam Conejo Ramos, a student at Valley View Elementary in Columbia Heights.
Listening sessions focus on federal activity
On the evening of January 27, community members in both St. Anthony Village and Columbia Heights met with their respective city officials for “listening sessions” to discuss concerns surrounding federal activities in their cities.
In Columbia Heights, roughly 175 people convened at John P. Murzyn Hall for a similar meeting. Mayor Amáda Márquez Simula opened the meeting before largely handing things off to Police Chief Matt Markham.
Protesting federal activity through art
In this historic moment, artists throughout the Arts District are speaking out, engaging with their community and giving voice to their ideas through their work. Society needs multiple languages to describe and process this moment and art is one of those languages. Right now, the Arts District is showcasing some of these responses.
January 23 “ICE Out MN” protest in Northeast
A “Day of Truth and Freedom” rally took place on January 23, with faith leaders, union representatives and community members holding protests. Many businesses closed for the day and residents were urged not to go to work, shop or go to school.
How to be a good pickpocket
When travelling in Europe, it is important to understand that pickpocketing is part of the culture there. If a traveler truly wants to be immersed in the life of a European, they must learn to pickpocket.
Ceramist, educator and entrepreneur dies
Marko Fields, a longtime Northeast artist and the owner of Mojo Coffee Gallery, 2205 California St. NE, died on January 18, 2026. He struggled with cancer for years, undergoing numerous chemotherapy treatments before peacefully dying, according to his children Abigail and Michael Fields.
Councilmember: On ICE, urban development
Michael Rainville has had a busy month, as discussed in a phone interview with the Northeaster. This was in no small part because of the influx of federal agents in Minneapolis as part of Operation Metro Surge.