Minnesota Governor Urges Calm After Trump Threatens Insurrection Act as Tensions Flare in Minneapolis
ST PAUL, Minn. – Minnesota Governor Tim Walz appealed for peace Thursday as tensions continued to mount in Minneapolis after former President Donald Trump threatened to invoke the Insurrection Act over protests against a sprawling federal immigration enforcement operation.
The crisis stems from weeks of demonstrations triggered by aggressive ICE actions and the fatal shooting of a local woman by a federal agent. Hundreds of protesters have taken to the streets in Minneapolis, leading to clashes with law enforcement and mounting public anger over what critics call an over-militarised federal presence.
In a Truth Social post, Trump warned he could deploy federal troops under the Insurrection Act-a seldom-used law that allows the president to send U.S. military forces into states to quell unrest or enforce federal law-if state and local officials fail to rein in what he described as “agitators” targeting ICE agents.
Minnesota’s Democratic governor responded with a plea for de-escalation, urging both protesters and the federal government to “turn the temperature down” and avoid actions that could inflame the situation further. Walz emphasised the importance of peaceful protest and warned against “fanning the flames of chaos”.
Local leaders, including Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey, also called for calm and condemned violence from any side, as sporadic clashes and arrests continued in the city. Federal officials, meanwhile, have vowed to maintain their presence and enforcement efforts.
The situation has drawn national scrutiny. Congressional figures from both parties have weighed in, with some condemning Trump’s rhetoric as dangerously escalatory and others supporting decisive federal action to restore order.
As Minneapolis remains on edge, the governor’s message underscores the deep divide between state leaders insisting on diplomacy and federal authorities threatening drastic measures – a standoff that could shape U.S. responses to civil unrest well beyond Minnesota.
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