Minnesota Governor Tim Walz addressed the public along with Attorney General Keith Ellison, saying the state was in what he called a moral crisis. In an emotional address, Walz asked the citizens a direct question: “Whose side are you on?” He urged Americans to consider whether they stand with a federal government “that can kill, injure, intimidate, and kidnap its own citizens off the streets,” or with Alex Pretti, a medical technician and peaceful observer of ICE’s actions.
Walz said he spoke with Pretti’s parents and expressed his condolences, conveying their image of their son as a person dedicated to serving others. He recalled that two people, Pretti and Renee Good, were killed in Minnesota in a short period of time, and he directly addressed the American president with the question: “What’s the plan, Donald Trump? What’s the plan?” He added that the citizens are tired but determined, angry but calm, and that the fight is still going on.
At the same time, a separate press conference was held by Border Patrol Commander Greg Bovino and senior Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) official in Minneapolis Marcos Charles. Bovino stated that the recent events were the result of, he said, inflammatory rhetoric from some politicians, community leaders and the media, who compared the police to the Gestapo or talked about kidnappings. According to him, such messages have concrete consequences on the ground.
WATCH LIVE: Minnesota officials hold press conference following CBP-involved shooting https://t.co/OzTzXsJbZ4
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Marcos Charles has made serious allegations of violence against federal agents, claiming that an ICE agent was knocked down by protesters during the riot. “The protester literally bit off part of his finger. The officer received immediate medical attention … this kind of violence is unacceptable,” said Charles. Like Bovin, he accused local politicians, activists and the media of contributing to chaos and fear instead of calming the situation. He emphasized that ICE, he said, works to arrest dangerous illegal criminals with the goal of protecting the public.
The White House got involved in the whole discussion, which said in a statement that “ICE heroes” are the ones who remove dangerous criminals from the streets in order to protect American families. On the other hand, former US President Barack Obama and former First Lady Michelle Obama issued a strong statement stating that the murder of Alex Pretti should be a “wake-up call for every American”. They criticized Minnesota’s aggressive approach to immigration enforcement and called on the Trump administration to rethink its approach.
As federal and state officials deliver conflicting messages, Minnesota remains a scene of rising tensions, with the public divided between demands for safety and growing calls for accountability and limits on federal agency powers.
(Vijesti.ba)
