Prosecutors to announce charges against Antifa groups in Minnesota for ICE protests
MINNEAPOLIS (FOX 9) - The U.S. Attorney's Office in Minnesota and Homeland Security Investigations are set to announce charges Tuesday morning against members of Minneapolis-based Antifa groups for crimes related to apparent ICE protests.
Antifa charges to be revealed
What we know:
According to a media advisory sent out by the U.S. Attorney's Office on Tuesday, prosecutors will reveal charges against "multiple defendants" for "conspiracy to impede or injure federal officers" and other crimes related to efforts to "violently oppose" immigration law enforcement by members of two groups that authorities say are Minneapolis-based Antifa groups.
What we don't know:
The exact nature of the crimes or the individuals involved have not been released. FOX 9 has not yet been able to track down the criminal complaints for the individuals charged in the case.
People hold Antifa flags at Trump Tower to counter protest the "White Lives Matter" march and rally on April 11, 2021 in New York City. (Getty Images)
The backstory:
In February, federal prosecutors arrested Minneapolis man Kyle Wagner, 37, for making threats against federal officers. In posts online, investigators said he encouraged his followers to "get your f---ing guns" and engage in acts of violence against federal law enforcement. Prosecutors said Wagner identified as an "Antifa member."
Authorities said along with his alleged crimes, Wagner also used his Instagram account to dox someone online who was pro ICE.
Last year, President Trump also declared Antifa a major terror organization. The declaration gave the Justice Department new power to prosecute people who gave material support deemed "Antifa."
The other side:
However, critics of the designation have pointed out that there is no single organization called Antifa. Rather, Antifa just stands for "anti-fascist" and the term is usually just used as an umbrella term for a number of far-left militant groups.
In a letter to President Trump last October, 30 Democrats, including Rep. Ilhan Omar, slammed the designation. They argued the language of the order was imprecise and enforcement could infringe on First Amendment rights.
"Without clear definitions and limits, this vague framing could subject lawful political expression and assembly to the same treatment as terrorism," the letter read.
What's next:
Federal prosecutors and law enforcement are expected to speak at 11 a.m. You can watch that news conference live on the player above, on FOX 9 All Day, and on our YouTube channel.