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Minneapolis Police Chief Brian O’Hara is facing severe backlash for allegedly leaving significant areas of the city vulnerable to rioters after the fatal shooting of Renee Nicole Good. Good was killed on Wednesday while attempting to run over a U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agent.
In the immediate aftermath of the shooting, police officers retreated from the scene due to sustained attacks from a mob that had gathered. Rioters hurled ice chunks and other projectiles at police vehicles as they fled.
By nightfall, hundreds of demonstrators had congregated downtown, blocking city streets and chanting “no one is illegal on stolen land.” Minnesota Governor Tim Walz had stated that demonstrators blocking streets would face consequences, but as of Friday night, no action had been taken.
By Thursday evening, makeshift barricades adorned with signs reading “No Justice, No Streets” had been erected around the shooting site at the intersection of Portland and 34th street, effectively restricting access to the residential area.
Conservative commentator Jack Posobiec, whose brother Kevin has been reporting on the situation, observed that while the “autonomous zone” had mostly diminished by Friday morning, it was still not entirely gone. He noted that the area appeared to be receiving outside supplies, suggesting external funding.
The scene has drawn parallels to the “CHAZ” autonomous zone in Seattle during the 2020 George Floyd riots when police abandoned multiple city blocks to far-left rioters. Antifa-aligned militants established their own “security” in the area, leading to at least two fatalities.
“I stopped by what is left of the Minneapolis Autonomous Zone today at the spot where Renee Good attempted to kill an ICE agent. Note the fresh pallet of food and supplies. Evidence of funding,” Posobiec tweeted.
While journalists on the ground noted that the protests had not escalated to the level of the George Floyd riots, there was a marked absence of police presence as tensions grew on Friday night. Groups of rioters targeted several hotels, assaulting staff members amid rumors that ICE agents were inside.
These incidents were largely overlooked by police until they spiraled out of control, according to journalist Nick Sortor. Video footage shows Minneapolis Police, including Chief O’Hara, retreating shortly after the situation escalated.
“They have now RUN AWAY and ABANDONED the area which has been TAKEN OVER by leftist anarchists,” Sortor posted on X, urging President Donald Trump to deploy the National Guard and invoke the Insurrection Act to restore order.
An unlawful assembly was eventually declared, but not before several hotels and businesses were vandalized. Footage from FreedomNews.tv captured a rioter spitting on a security guard trying to protect a hotel, while additional videos showed rioters vandalizing the lobby of the Renaissance Hotel after rumors circulated about ICE officers being present.
“Anti-ICE protester SPITS at the face of a hotel security guard in Minneapolis, while hunting down ICE agents,” tweeted American AF.
Former Homeland Security Secretary Chad Wolf criticized O’Hara and Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey for their handling of the unrest. Frey quickly held a press conference, dismissing claims of self-defense as “bulls***” before any investigation into the Good shooting had taken place.
“The mayor’s comments were probably some of the most unintelligible, unhinged comments I think I’ve heard in quite some time,” Wolf stated during an interview with Fox News, accusing Frey of unfairly blaming federal agents while ignoring the actions of those obstructing law enforcement.
Chris Moore, a retired law enforcement veteran and CNN legal analyst, expressed disbelief at the Minneapolis Police Department’s response during the riots on Friday night, stating, “for at least a half an hour, and by my count closer to an hour, we didn’t see any Minneapolis Police Department officers there. None.” He added, “You couldn’t have that crowd at a hotel trying to enter the hotel, disturbing the peace for hundreds of people around there and have the police not know about it. This was the police, in my opinion, ignoring it.”
