Tension Escalates at Minneapolis Hotel as Anti-ICE Rioters Clash with Law Enforcement, Resulting in Scores of Arrests
A protest outside a Minneapolis hotel where federal agents were staying turned violent on Monday night, with dozens of anti-ICE demonstrators arrested after scores of protesters descended upon the SpringHill Suites, damaging property and hurling objects at law enforcement. The chaos unfolded when demonstrators believed US Border Patrol Commander Greg Bovino and other federal agents were staying at the hotel.
Among those taken into custody was Justin Neal Shelton, a 37-year-old man from St. Paul, who was charged with obstructing legal process. His prior record includes a 2007 conviction for brutally attacking a pregnant woman, kicking her, and striking her with a bottle as she tried to steal her car. He pleaded guilty to the attack and served a five-year prison sentence.
Shelton is not the only one with a history of violence; Abraham Nelson Coleman, 45, was arrested for damaging property outside the hotel after being convicted multiple times since 2003 on charges of theft and property damage. Coleman's case highlights the dangers faced by law enforcement in the face of increasingly aggressive protests.
Other protesters, including 21-year-old Rayna Michelle Alston, who boasts of her support for anti-ICE demonstrations with slogans like "disrupt disturb resist," were also arrested on charges related to the riot. Alston had previously expressed support for a nationwide shutdown and has been vocal about her opposition to federal immigration enforcement.
The Maple Grove Police Department declared the protest an unlawful assembly after property damage and violence occurred, issuing dispersal orders to clear the area. The police emphasized that their priority was the safety of everyone involved, including hotel staff, guests, and law enforcement officers.
While acknowledging the importance of First Amendment rights, the department stated its commitment to maintaining public order and will not tolerate acts of vandalism or violence in the community.
A protest outside a Minneapolis hotel where federal agents were staying turned violent on Monday night, with dozens of anti-ICE demonstrators arrested after scores of protesters descended upon the SpringHill Suites, damaging property and hurling objects at law enforcement. The chaos unfolded when demonstrators believed US Border Patrol Commander Greg Bovino and other federal agents were staying at the hotel.
Among those taken into custody was Justin Neal Shelton, a 37-year-old man from St. Paul, who was charged with obstructing legal process. His prior record includes a 2007 conviction for brutally attacking a pregnant woman, kicking her, and striking her with a bottle as she tried to steal her car. He pleaded guilty to the attack and served a five-year prison sentence.
Shelton is not the only one with a history of violence; Abraham Nelson Coleman, 45, was arrested for damaging property outside the hotel after being convicted multiple times since 2003 on charges of theft and property damage. Coleman's case highlights the dangers faced by law enforcement in the face of increasingly aggressive protests.
Other protesters, including 21-year-old Rayna Michelle Alston, who boasts of her support for anti-ICE demonstrations with slogans like "disrupt disturb resist," were also arrested on charges related to the riot. Alston had previously expressed support for a nationwide shutdown and has been vocal about her opposition to federal immigration enforcement.
The Maple Grove Police Department declared the protest an unlawful assembly after property damage and violence occurred, issuing dispersal orders to clear the area. The police emphasized that their priority was the safety of everyone involved, including hotel staff, guests, and law enforcement officers.
While acknowledging the importance of First Amendment rights, the department stated its commitment to maintaining public order and will not tolerate acts of vandalism or violence in the community.
right now... like what's going on with these protests? People are getting arrested left and right for stuff that seems pretty minor, but at the same time, they're causing all this destruction and putting law enforcement in harm's way 
. I don't get why we can't have a peaceful protest without resorting to violence and property damage... it's just not productive, you know? And then you got people with histories of violence like Shelton and Coleman out there participating in these protests... it's just scary 
. Can't we find a way to express our opinions without hurting others or causing chaos? It feels like we're losing the plot here 
.
. We gotta stand up for our rights and express ourselves peacefully, not throw rocks and vandalize property 
. It's crazy how some protesters have a history of violence, like Justin Shelton who attacked a pregnant woman back in 2007 
. Law enforcement needs our protection and respect too 
. We need to find a way to peacefully express ourselves without hurting others #NoViolenceEver #PeacefulProtestIsKey #LawAndOrderMatters 
Shelton's history is wild, 5 yrs in the pokey for beatin' up a pregnant woman? that's some scary stuff 
I get it, immigration policies are messed up, but you can't just take the law into your own hands and expect everythin' to be okay 
just thinkin about what's happenin at that Minneapolis hotel is makin me worried about our country rn... so many ppl with violent pasts gettin arrested at protests it's like, we gotta find a way to address these issues without resortin to chaos... 
... I get that they're upset, but there are better ways to express yourself than causing damage and hurting others. We need to find a way to do this stuff peacefully, you know? 
. It seems like people are getting more aggressive and violent, and it's putting innocent lives at risk 
. And what's concerning me is the history of some of these protesters - it sounds like they have a pattern of violent behavior 
I'm all for standing up against injustice, but this protest got outta hand, you know? 
"Disrupt disturb resist" is not exactly the kind of message I want to see on my t-shirts... 
We need to find a way to make our voices heard without resorting to destruction and harm. 
we can do better than this. We can have passionate protests without turning into a riot. 
. Those arrested with violent pasts? 
Not exactly the best role models for a peaceful protest