Anti-ICE activists in Minnesota have escalated their tactics from street checkpoints to theatrical stunts that many see as both lawless and deeply disrespectful to American heroes.
According to RedState, self-styled neighborhood defenders recently set up unauthorized checkpoints at intersections, purportedly to screen for ICE and keep federal immigration officers out of certain areas. These same activists, who rail against lawful immigration enforcement, allegedly assaulted the Daily Callers Jorge Ventura and his photojournalist, with video showing one agitator clearly shoving Ventura as he attempted to report from the scene.
The behavior reflects a growing sense of entitlement among radical activists who now appear to believe they can stop random motorists, interrogate them about who they are, and order them to leave public streets. At the same time, these individualsoften masked or with faces covereddenounce Immigration and Customs Enforcement as oppressive, seemingly oblivious to the irony that they are the ones running extralegal checkpoints and intimidating citizens.
If that hypocrisy were not enough, some in the anti-ICE movement have now resorted to cringe-inducing political theater that has drawn widespread ridicule online. One viral image shows activists striking a pose clearly modeled on the iconic Iwo Jima flag-raising, accompanied by the caption, We stand for justice and a future worth fighting for! #MNStrong #iceout #Minnesota #peace #solidarity.
The poster evidently anticipated a backlash, disabling comments on the video in a preemptive move that hardly reflects the Iwo Jima-like courage they appear to be mimicking. Yet users on X (formerly Twitter) still delivered a harsh verdict through quote tweets, ensuring the activists could not escape a public dressing-down.
The attempt to visually equate anti-ICE demonstrators with the Marines who fought and died on Iwo Jima struck many as breathtakingly arrogant. Far from inspiring admiration, the image offended another large swath of Americans who see it as a cheap appropriation of a sacred moment in U.S. military history.
Critics argue that the activists in Minnesota are not remotely comparable to the Marines who went through hell, and some died, to defend our country. Instead, these protesters come across as full of their own self-importance, posturing against law enforcement while enjoying the freedoms secured by the very heroes they now parody.
Adding to the controversy, the flag in the staged photo is not even the American flag but the new Minnesota flag, which some observers note bears a resemblance to the Somali flag. For many, that choice only underscores how disconnected these activists are from traditional American patriotism and the sacrifices of previous generations.
Online reaction was scathing, with one user declaring, The theater kids are out of control, while another wrote, ?? these people are so ridiculous. A third critic summed up the sentiment of many conservatives by calling them These are the most embarrassing people in America, a blunt assessment of a movement that increasingly seems more interested in performance and provocation than in respecting the rule of law or the legacy of those who actually fought for American freedom.
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