US court allows ICE to arrest and pepper-spray peaceful protesters in Minnesota

[mysteryowl]

Source: The Guardian/US

An appeals court has temporarily lifted restrictions from a federal judge in Minnesota that blocked ICE agents from pepper-spraying and arresting peaceful protesters.

In a victory for the Trump administration, the eighth US circuit court of appeals on Wednesday granted the justice department's request for an administrative stay of a preliminary injunction issued last Friday by Judge Katherine Menendez.

Menendez's preliminary injunction would have prohibited ICE agents from retaliating against peaceful protesters, arresting or detaining people who are participating in peaceful protests, using pepper spray or similar non-lethal munitions and crowd dispersal tools, as well as stopping or detaining drivers without reasonable cause.

When Menendez imposed the restrictions, she ruled that federal immigration agents' actions had a "chilling effect" on protesters' first amendment rights.

Read more: https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2026/jan/21/ice-arrest-pepper-spray-protesters-minnesota

---

Wow! It is okay for feds to arrest peaceful protesters!




There is a horrific picture at this link.
ICE is spraying a chemical agent directly into the face of a protester that is on the ground!
https://www.startribune.com/ice-raids-minnesota/601546426

Live: Appeals court pauses order mandating ICE not 'retaliate' against protesters.
A federal appeals court has paused an injunction barring immigration agents from "retaliating" against peaceful protesters and observers in Minnesota.

[The Grand Illuminist]

1. Arm the protesters.

nt

[fujiyamasan]

4. The eighth circuit is almost entirely made of republican appointees

There’s one judge on it appointed by Obama. Basically a rubber stamp for Trump.

[roscoeroscoe]

39. Legal geography in action

Go where the courts are your friend. Predictable strategy

[stopdiggin]

11. what a GREAT idea !

could expound further - but this level of discourse really doesn't warrant the effort ...

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

[OldBaldy1701E]

19. Remind me about the lack of 'warrant' when they are kicking in your door.

Think they won't?

Yeah, I imagine many other people sitting at Fort Snelling thought that as well.

[stopdiggin]

35. and the 'solution' is for 'protesters' to arm themselves ...

GENIUS !!

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

[OldBaldy1701E]

40. Umm...

What makes you think there were not already 'armed protestors' at these events?

[Bread and Circuses]

2. There goes the FIRST Amendment. They will now claim that filming....

At a distance is worthy of pepper spray.


We need to buy full face gas masks NOW!

[sagetea]

26. Buy xtra and hand them out at protests.

Those who can, anyway.


sage

[SSJVegeta]

3. How is there even standing for this? They denied doing it and refused to comply

Then appealed so that they can do the thing they claimed they weren’t doing but said they are still going to do.

[mysteryowl]

5. Supposedly because Vance is coming to Minnesota

[malthaussen]

22. Um... there isn't? It's a bum ruling...

... by a bunch of bums.

-- Mal

[vapor2]

32. bum ruling ?

it's fucking insanity by this court. So ok to pepper spray and arrest peaceful protesters AND it's ok to shoot a woman in the head 3 times. I need to leave this lawless country

[OldBaldy1701E]

41. Or, fight back.

Man, that 'Never damage or dispute your masters' programming is tough to crack, isn't it?

[electric_blue68]

6. F that!

[bfoxmatt]

7. The right to harass and hurt without cause

Sick individuals and there are too many of them in our government!

[SunSeeker]

8. Disgusting! All the Menendez' injunction said was to comply with the law!

[BumRushDaShow]

9. This is just an administrative stay, and not on the merits (but still... ugh)

Link to tweet

Kyle Cheney
@kyledcheney
·
Follow
JUST IN: The 8th Circuit has temporarily lifted the restrictions on ICE's use of force against protesters, imposed last week by Judge Menendez. Earlier: https://politico.com/news/2026/01/16/ice-minneapolis-arrests-judge-protests-00735416?_bhlid=b376075801834ad0b250c6bc586df392cbc430ab&utm_campaign=the-smile-1-21&utm_medium=newsletter&utm_source=www.readthesmile.com
Image
Last edited
1:57 PM · Jan 21, 2026

[bluestarone]

13. Not on the merits of the case, BUT

How long can ICE destroy peoples lives in this country? WHEN will the merits be heard?

[BumRushDaShow]

25. That's always been the running issue with these stays

IMHO, if something that is going on that is causing "harm", then there should be a stay of the "harm".

[bluestarone]

27. Agree!

No reason was given, right?

[BumRushDaShow]

28. What I posted just upthread was all there was

Didn't see for how long but it could be for however long is needed to get the panel assigned to do the review.

The courts are truly feeling the "flood the zone" litigation strategy that 45 and his minions had promised.

[travelingthrulife]

44. The courts are adding to it.

[travelingthrulife]

43. We have a terrible judicial system. Totally out of touch with reality.

[bluestarone]

45. Yep, PERFECT STORM!!

[FBaggins]

36. Not on the merits - but to be clear, the title would be incorrect even if it were

A court being told that it lacks the jurisdiction to order someone not to do something illegal does not mean that the thing is no longer illegal.

[BumRushDaShow]

38. Well this administration prefers to do what it wants when it wants

no matter what the courts say, until really smacked down a few times... so...

[Evolve Dammit]

10. police state.

[William Seger]

12. How the FUCK do you "justify" that?!

"The U.S. Court of Appeals for the Eighth Circuit did not explain its reasoning."

[vapor2]

33. because they can't and lack all reason

[Bayard]

14. Opening the floodgates for arrest and/or shooting protestors

And trump wants to save Iranian protestors from these actions.

[Quanto Magnus]

15. So when the shoe is on the other foot

these MAGAts will be fine when they start getting pepper sprayed and arrested for protesting.

[ForgoTheConsequence]

17. When it happens to them they will start whining about government overreach again.

They're a bunch of Randy Weavers when it comes to the government harassing white supremacists. When it comes to rounding up brown people, they love to lick the boot.

[bluestarone]

16. This bfucking court just gave the jan 6st monsters MORE and MORE

reasons to hurt ANY Minnesota citizens. THEY are gonna hurt, just to hurt because this court just opened season on residents!!

[duckworth969]

18. Ft Campbell Army Deploying for MN

https://apnews.com/article/army-deployment-minnesota-immigration-insurrection-act-31a28c23045bfdb31b27f68507a68ca8?utm_source=copy&utm_medium=share

[StarryNite]

20. So our First Amendment is dead in Minnesota?

[OldBaldy1701E]

23. That is not going to be the only thing 'dead' around here if they do this. (n/t)

[mysteryowl]

29. Actually, Minnesotans are doing very well protesting,

which is why they are trying to stop "we the people".

[StarryNite]

31. The protesters are doing absolutely amazing!

Peaceful protests are protected by our First Amendment. But the court is now apparently saying that what they are doing is grounds for being pepper sprayed and arrested. And that is total bullshit!

[mysteryowl]

34. I'm screaming inside at the injustice of this whole thing.

The order is a temporary one. They wanted to keep their violent tactics in place for the Vance Minnesota visit tomorrow.

I guess the 8th circuit US court is all repukes!!

It won't hold.

[mdbl]

21. I hope every one of those judges become victims of ICE.

[mysteryowl]

30. They would need some pigment to their skin.

The f***ing racists.

[surfered]

24. Has to be the same thugs spraying Capitol Police with bear spray on Jan 6

[perdita9]

37. Does anyone have this judge' address?

We should flood her with postcards

[bluestarone]

42. Question. Why can't the state of Min. (govenor Walz) get an IMMEDIATE supreme court hearing on this?

People are getting harmed and murdered. Jesus Christ!! TSF ALWAYS gets the SC to come to his aid!