St. Cloud PD asks people to stop following ICE agents, saying its unsafe
ICE agents caught on video asking if people have 'learned their lesson'
Just days after Renee Good was shot and killed by an ICE agent, federal authorities and activists continue to clash. Videos from over the weekend capture ICE agents asking people if they've "learned their lesson." At least one threatened to kill a driver. FOX 9's Mike Manzoni has the story.
ST. CLOUD, Minn. (FOX 9) - St. Cloud Police are raising concerns about traffic safety due to community actions monitoring federal immigration activities as ICE increases its presence in Minnesota following the fatal shooting of Renee Nicole Good in Minneapolis on Jan. 7.
Community monitoring activities raise safety concerns
Local perspective:
St. Cloud Police have observed people following vehicles they believe are operated by federal agents. The police department says in many cases, these are not federal vehicles, leading to increased traffic risks.
Police say these incidents have led to careless and distracted driving, significantly increasing the risk of traffic collisions, police said.
St. Cloud Police Officers also say they have been followed and confronted when doing unrelated enforcement activities, such as arrests for weapon violations and drug sales. These encounters can lead to misunderstandings and potential harm, police said.
"While intentions may be rooted in concern or advocacy, following people in vehicles can be frightening, dangerous, and potentially unlawful. Individuals who engage in distracted or careless driving, contribute to collisions, or physically interfere with law enforcement officers may face traffic citations or other criminal charges. For all of these reasons, we are asking people not to engage in these tactics," the St. Cloud Police Department said in a statement.
It is unclear how many incidents have occurred or the specific outcomes of these encounters.
St. Cloud PD's full statement on following vehicles
What they're saying:
"We respect and recognize the First Amendment rights of individuals and organizations who choose to express their views and remain engaged in issues affecting our community.
"We are aware that community members and community organizations have organized response teams to monitor activity in our area, including the actions of federal immigration officers.
"Our responsibility, however, is to address emerging public safety concerns we are seeing as a result of some of these activities. We are receiving reports of people following vehicles they believe are operated by federal agents—when, in many cases, they are not. We have also confirmed instances of people following actual federal agents while driving carelessly or in a distracted manner. These behaviors significantly increase the risk of traffic collisions and pose a danger to everyone using our city’s roadways.
"In addition to traffic safety concerns, these actions create legitimate safety risks for all law enforcement officers operating in our community. Our St. Cloud Police Officers have been followed and confronted while conducting enforcement activities unrelated to immigration, including arrests for weapon violations and drug sales. These encounters increase the risk of misunderstandings and harm to officers, bystanders, and those involved.
"While intentions may be rooted in concern or advocacy, following people in vehicles can be frightening, dangerous, and potentially unlawful. Individuals who engage in distracted or careless driving, contribute to collisions, or physically interfere with law enforcement officers may face traffic citations or other criminal charges. For all of these reasons, we are asking people not to engage in these tactics.
"Our goal in sharing this information is to be transparent about the calls we are receiving, and the safety concerns we are observing."