Tens of thousands of protesters took to the streets of Minneapolis on Saturday in the largest demonstration yet against the fatal shooting of 37‑year‑old Renee Nicole Good by an Immigration and Customs Enforcement officer, part of a nationwide wave of more than 1,000 rallies demanding an end to federal immigration operations in Democratic strongholds.
The Minneapolis Police Department estimated the crowd at “tens of thousands” despite whipping cold winds and light snowfall, with demonstrators chanting Good’s name and calling for the officer’s prosecution as they marched from a snow‑covered park near the shooting site toward federal buildings downtown.
A massive rally in the heart of the Twin Cities
The Minneapolis protest was the largest by far of the weekend, with police and organizers putting turnout at tens of thousands as demonstrators gathered in Powderhorn Park and marched through residential streets toward the federal courthouse and a hotel where ICE agents had been staying. Led by a group of Indigenous Mexican dancers, the crowd chanted “Renee Good,” “Abolish ICE” and “No justice, no peace, get ICE off our streets,” according to footage and eyewitness accounts.
Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey addressed the demonstrators, calling Good’s killing “a tragedy” and renewing his demand that ICE leave the city. “This is our city, and we will not stand for it,” Frey said, vowing to pursue justice while urging peaceful protest. Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz said he had prepared the National Guard “if necessary” but praised the large majority of Saturday’s rally as peaceful.
The event came a day after a smaller downtown protest of about 1,000 people turned chaotic Friday night, with some demonstrators vandalizing property including a hotel window. Police Chief Brian O’Hara said more than 200 officers and state troopers made 29 arrests, mostly for minor offences, with one officer suffering minor injuries. Saturday’s march avoided that escalation, though tensions remained high near federal sites.
Good’s death and the federal‑local clash
Good, a U.S. citizen and mother of three, was shot in the head Wednesday morning after an ICE officer opened fire on her SUV at East 34th Street and Portland Avenue in south Minneapolis, according to city and federal accounts. DHS said Good “weaponized her vehicle” and tried to run over agents during an enforcement operation, but Minneapolis officials and witnesses have disputed that, with Police Chief O’Hara saying there was “nothing to indicate” Good was a target of the investigation.
Video footage obtained by CNN shows Good’s husband exchanging words with the officer, identified as Jonathan Ross, before she drove off and was shot. The FBI is investigating, but no charges have been filed, and DHS Secretary Kristi Noem has defended the shooting as justified. Good’s family and supporters describe her as a legal observer who was monitoring ICE activity, not a target of enforcement.
The incident has reignited long‑simmering anger in Minneapolis over federal immigration raids in Democratic cities, with Frey and Rep. Ilhan Omar accusing ICE of “terrorizing communities” and obstructing oversight. Trump and his officials have called Good a “rioter” and insisted the officer acted in self-defense.
1,000+ rallies nationwide: “ICE, Out for Good”
Organizers announced more than 1,000 demonstrations across the U.S. this weekend under the slogan “ICE, Out for Good,” with major events in Philadelphia, Boston, New York, Washington, D.C., and smaller towns from Wisconsin to Portland, Oregon. In Philadelphia, hundreds marched from City Hall to the local ICE office in the rain; Boston drew a sizable crowd to the Common; and New York saw rallies despite cold weather.
The protests also come after a separate ICE shooting in Portland on Thursday that injured two people, adding fuel to nationwide outrage. Indivisible, a progressive group, called Good “a wife, a mother of three, and a member of her community” and said her death, and others in ICE custody’ showed the agency must be abolished. Demonstrators carried signs reading “ICE Out of Our Cities” and “No Justice, No Peace,” while faith leaders and family members urged non‑violence.
In Minneapolis, one protester, Ellison Montgomery, 30, told Reuters he was “insanely angry, completely heartbroken and devastated” but hopeful for change. A pastor at a vigil said, “Let’s unite around hope and love and peace and getting justice.”
Democrats demand accountability, Trump doubles down
Minnesota Democrats have led calls for a full investigation and ICE’s withdrawal. Reps. Ilhan Omar, Angie Craig and Kelly Morrison said ICE obstructed their oversight when they tried to visit a facility and were escorted out after 10 minutes. Omar called the shooting “murder” and demanded Ross’s arrest.
Trump and Noem have stood firm, with the president labelling Good a “rioter” and Noem saying lethal force was “warranted.” The administration has framed the protests as left‑wing agitation against lawful enforcement.
Frey has accused federal officials of “gaslighting” the public and lying about the shooting, renewing his call for ICE to leave Minneapolis. Walz emphasized peaceful protest while preparing the Guard.
A city and nation on edge
Minneapolis, still scarred by George Floyd’s 2020 killing, is bracing for more unrest as the FBI investigation continues. O’Hara said most protests have been peaceful but warned against violence. Good’s family and activists are gathering witness videos and calling for an independent probe.
The weekend’s scale, tens of thousands in Minneapolis alone, plus rallies in dozens of cities — underscores how Good’s death has galvanized opposition to Trump’s immigration crackdown. Whether the protests sustain, or fade will depend on the FBI’s findings, federal response and whether charges come. For now, Renee Nicole Good’s name echoes in streets from the Twin Cities to the coasts.