The Department of Justice announced charges on Tuesday against 15 anti-Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) militants, who are allegedly part of an Antifa-tied group in Minnesota.
Minnesota U.S. Attorney Daniel Rosen said the charges include interfering with federal agents, “stalking, assault, and threatening officers,” adding that 13 of 15 of the militants are already in custody, Newsweek reported.
“Such stalking and other direct actions against law enforcement are criminal. They’re un-American, and they’ll be met with swift justice. That’s why we’re here today,” Rosen said at a press conference. “To those who choose to threaten or harm federal officers, we will hold you accountable. We will defend federal officers. We will protect the public. We will enforce the law.“
All 15 militants were charged with conspiracy to impede or injure a federal officer, with some having an additional charge like interstate stalking, solicitation to commit a crime of violence, assault on a federal officer (with a dangerous weapon), and destruction of government property.
Rosen also accused the militants of training members in the “aggressive use of shields against law enforcement, surveillance, operational planning, and rapid mobilization against law enforcement actions.”
All of the defendants were allegedly associated with a group called Twin Cities Direct Action, which changed its name to Direct Action Minnesota (DAMN). The group is “dedicated and committed to direct action against federal law and immigration enforcement,” the unsealed indictment states, noting that “[d]irect action refers to disruptive and obstructive tactics used by participants to forcibly challenge, block, or stop immigration raids, detentions, and deportations.”
“DAMN describes itself as, ‘…as a decentralized coalition of working-class people engaged in various forms of community defense against the current Federal Occupation happening within the wider metro area, and against state and a far-right violence more broadly,'” the indictment states. “DAMN also trains its members in the use of shields against law enforcement, surveillance, event planning, role differentiation, and rapid mass mobilization against ICE enforcement actions.”
The indictment explains how DAMN is made up of members from “sub-groups,” like the Black Cat Worker’s Collective — whose members “advocate, promote, and utilize militant tactics and violence” — and the Ray Rainbolt Memorial Shooting Club, which purportedly promotes “community self-defense.” The indictment identifies both as “Antifa affinity groups” based in Minneapolis and also notes that DAMN has worked with Antifa-linked groups “to plan for and execute certain direct actions.”
Rosen also emphasized the defendants’ alleged Antifa ties.
The indictment seems to confirm many of the tactics observed by The Federalist in Minneapolis earlier this year, such as the use of networks to drive militants toward law enforcement operations in order to disrupt and attack officers trying to do their jobs. Members of DAMN “worked closely with rapid response networks … to identify and harass federal immigration and law enforcement officers in order to harass and prevent officers from performing their official duties,” the indictment reads, noting that these networks are “inherently militant” and directly aimed at “combating and stopping a federal agent with a gun.'”
The indictment also details how DAMN militants use a Signal group chat that logs identifying information of federal immigration enforcement vehicles, enabling them to track them throughout the city and place militants in their way.
Once someone relays information about a federal immigration or law enforcement officer’s location, “dispatchers” relay “verified” information to “commuters,” who deploy to the identified area to interfere with, prevent, hinder, delay, impede, and directly confront federal immigration enforcement, including “de-arresting” people that federal law enforcement have arrested. “Commuters” follow federal immigration enforcement officers from locations … to the officers’ residences and other locations. “Commuters” often work with “co-pilots,” who communicate with “dispatchers” in real-time. “Dispatchers” relay identifying information about immigration and law enforcement vehicles to “commuters” and “co- pilots.” DAMN members often engage in “commuting” tactics with other members.
The indictments follows the far left’s violent response to Operation Metro Surge, the mass deportation operation in the Twin Cities over the winter. Federal officers were met both with militants acting to thwart their lawful operations, as well Democrat politicians who encouraged violence against them.