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NFL star Puka Nacua rips refs for second time this week in sour post following overtime loss
Los Angeles Rams star Puka Nacua once again went after NFL officiating as he posted critical remarks on social media following the team’s overtime loss to the Seattle Seahawks.
Nacua, who had a huge game in the 38-37 defeat, made a clear jab at officials. But the post was quickly deleted from his X account.
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"Can you say I was wrong," the post read. "Appreciate you stripes for your contribution. Lol."
Rams head coach Sean McVay was frustrated in the postgame press conference. He had no answers for Nacua’s post as he said he didn’t know the post went out.
It’s about the third time Nacua had drawn controversy toward himself this week.
He made critical comments toward officials, calling them "the worst" in a livestream with Adin Ross. He was also accused of antisemitism for a gesture he made during the stream.
"The refs are the worst," Nacua said. "These guys want to be ... these guys are lawyers. They want to be on TV too. You don't think he's texting his friends in the group chat like, 'Yo, you guys just saw me on "Sunday Night Football." That wasn't P.I., but I called it.'"
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NFL Network insider Ian Rapoport said on Amazon Prime Video that Nacua should expect to be fined for those comments.
The antisemitic incident sparked an apology statement and a statement from the NFL.
In the video, Ross instructed Nacua to spike the ball, flex and then rub his hands together after a touchdown. The move appeared to perpetuate a harmful anti-Jewish stereotype. He released a statement before the game, apologizing for it.
"When I appeared the other day on a social media livestream, it was suggested to me to perform a specific movement as part of my next touchdown celebration. At the time, I had no idea this act was antisemitic in nature and perpetuated harmful stereotypes against Jewish people," Nacua said in a "Stand Up to Jewish Hate" graphic. "I deeply apologize to anyone who was offended by my actions as I do not stand for any form of racism, bigotry or hate of another group of people."
The NFL also released a statement on Nacua’s actions.
"The NFL strongly condemns all forms of discrimination and derogatory behavior directed towards any group or individual," the league said. "The continuing rise of antisemitism must be addressed across the world, and the NFL will continue to stand with our partners in this fight. Hatred has no place in our sport or society."
The controversy didn’t appear to distract Nacua as he put together one of the best games of his career.
He had 12 catches for 225 yards and two touchdowns. He didn’t perform the celebratory move that Ross had told him to do.
Los Angeles dropped to 11-4 with the loss.
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Seahawks' wild 2-point conversion plays part in electric victory over NFC West rival
The Seattle Seahawks mastered the art of the 2-point conversion on Thursday night as Sam Darnold led an incredible comeback win against the Los Angeles Rams, 38-37, in what NFL fans were calling the game of the year.
Darnold led the Seahawks on a nine-play, 65-yard drive that ended with a touchdown pass to Jaxon Smith-Njigba to answer Matthew Stafford’s touchdown pass to Puka Nacua to take the lead. Seattle went for two to win the game and Darnold found tight end Eric Saubert wide open in the end zone for the win. Saubert didn’t receive a target the entire night.
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Seattle converted three 2-point attempts between the fourth quarter and overtime in the win.
The first came when it appeared the Rams were going to take control of the game. Darnold had turned the ball over with 9:48 left in the game down 16 points. Seattle was 0-172 all time when trailing by at least 15 points in the fourth quarter. The odds were not on their sides.
However, Seahawks punt returner Rashid Shaheed returned a punt for a touchdown. It led to Darnold finding Cooper Kupp for the first 2-point conversion.
On Seattle’s next drive, Darnold floated a pass to tight end A.J. Barner in the end zone for a touchdown. Things got a little bit wacky during the 2-point try.
During the conversion attempt, Darnold threw a parallel pass meant for running back Zach Charbonnet. Rams pass rusher Jared Verse batted the ball in the middle of the pass and the ball landed in the end zone. Charbonnet nonchalantly picked up the ball in the end zone, likely thinking the play was over.
Instead, officials reviewed the play and determined that Darnold threw a backward pass and the ball was live when it bounced into the end zone. Because Charbonnet recovered the ball, Seattle was awarded two points. The game was tied 30-30 with 6:23 left in the game.
The Rams had a chance to take the lead but Harrison Mevis missed a field goal that would have put the team up three points. There was no offense after that point and the game went into overtime.
Stafford found Nacua for the big touchdown to take the lead, but Darnold answered.
Seattle won the game and clinched a playoff spot.
NFL fans needed a breather after that game.
Darnold was 22-of-34 with 270 passing yards, two touchdown passes and two interceptions. Running back Kenneth Walker III ran for 100 yards and a touchdown. Charbonnet also scored a rushing touchdown.
Smith-Njigba led the team with eight catches for 96 yards and a touchdown.
Nacua had an incredible night amid a shroud of controversy during the week. He had 12 catches for 225 yards and two touchdowns. The star wide receiver apologized after he was accused of antisemitism during a livestream. He also ripped NFL officials.
Stafford was 29-of-49 for 457 yards and three touchdowns. He didn’t throw an interception and was not sacked.
Seattle moved to 12-3 with the win. Los Angeles fell to 11-4.
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North Carolina's longest-serving governor dies at 88 after serving 4 terms in office
The longest-serving governor of North Carolina, Jim Hunt, died Thursday at the age of 88.
His daughter, Lt. Gov. Rachel Hunt, announced the Democratic leader’s death in a statement on X.
"It is with deep sadness that I share the passing of my beloved daddy and hero, former Governor Jim Hunt," she wrote.
"He devoted his life to serving the people of North Carolina, guided by a belief that public service should expand opportunity, strengthen communities, and always put people first. His leadership and compassion left a lasting impact on so many across our state."
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Hunt served a total of 16 years as North Carolina’s governor, holding office from 1977 to 1985 and again from 1993 to 2001. He was the only governor in state history to be elected to four terms, following a constitutional change allowing consecutive service.
Hunt was widely regarded as the state’s education-focused governor who made schools and early childhood learning the centerpiece of his administration. He is widely known for launching "Smart Start," a 1993 initiative that provided health and education services to children under age five to help prepare them for school.
He also successfully lobbied to raise North Carolina teacher salaries above the national median, expanded access to full-day kindergarten statewide, and established the nation’s first public residential high school focused on science and math.
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"I can think of no one who shaped North Carolina’s recent successes as much as Governor Jim Hunt," North Carolina Gov. Josh Stein said in a post on X.
"Governor for 16 years, he was a visionary who founded Smart Start, raised teacher pay, protected air quality, and created the NC Biotech Center. On a personal level, he was a mentor and dear friend. Anna and I are keeping Carolyn, Rachel, and the entire Hunt family in our thoughts and prayers. May Governor Hunt’s memory be a blessing. He certainly was for North Carolina."
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Former North Carolina political figures also shared their condolences online following Hunt’s death.
"Not only was he the greatest Governor in North Carolina history, he brought a caring and committed purpose to everything he did, especially our children and our schools," former Gov. Roy Cooper wrote in a post on X.
"I don’t know anyone who worked harder and had a greater positive effect on the people of North Carolina than Jim Hunt. He was a great friend and mentor and I will miss him."
Former Republican Gov. Pat McCrory added in another post on Facebook:
"Jim Hunt was ‘The Governor’ and was the greatest salesperson ever for our state," he said. "For me personally and despite our political differences, he was a mentor and friend during my tenure as Mayor, Governor and as a former Governor. He will be missed but his spirit and passion for public service will remain forever."
Milwaukee County judge found guilty of obstructing federal immigration agents in courthouse incident
A jury found Milwaukee County Judge Hannah Dugan guilty of obstructing federal immigration agents during an attempt to serve a warrant at a courthouse earlier this year.
She faces up to five years in prison on the felony obstruction count.
Dugan was arrested in April after helping Eduardo Flores-Ruiz avoid plainclothes Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents who were trying to serve him a warrant. Prosecutors said Dugan helped Flores-Ruiz and his attorney exit her courtroom through a back door on April 18, after learning that ICE agents were in the building to arrest him.
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"While we are disappointed in today’s outcome, the failure of the prosecution to secure convictions on both counts demonstrates the opportunity we have to clear Judge Dugan’s name and show she did nothing wrong in this matter," Dugan's defense team said in a statement. "We have planned for this potential outcome and our defense of Judge Dugan is just beginning. This trial required considerable resources to prepare for and public support for Judge Dugan’s defense fund is critical as we prepare for the next phase of this defense."
Jurors reached the guilty verdict after six hours of deliberations, though Dugan was acquitted on a misdemeanor count of concealing an individual to prevent arrest.
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Interim U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Wisconsin Brad Schimel reacted to the verdict, saying Dugan "is certainly not evil nor is she a martyr for some greater cause."
"It was a criminal case, like many that make their way through this courthouse every day, and we all must accept the verdict peacefully," he said.
Schimel added that prosecutors "weren't trying to make an example out of anyone."
"This was necessary to hold Judge Dugan accountable in our assessment because of the action she took," he said.
Following the verdict, Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche said Dugan "betrayed her oath and the people she served."
"Today, a federal jury of her peers found her guilty and sent a clear message: the American people respect law and order. Nobody is above the law," he wrote on X. "This Department will not tolerate obstruction, will enforce federal immigration law, and will hold criminals to account — even those who wear robes. Thank you to the men and women who keep us safe. We will always protect you."
Under Wisconsin law, Dugan is no longer eligible to hold public office.
In April, she was suspended with pay, a roughly $175k-per-year salary, by the Wisconsin State Supreme Court. It’s unclear if the court will make any changes to her employment status in the wake of the verdict, given that the defense is expected to appeal the decision.
Ben Shapiro denounces Tucker Carlson as conservative fraud at AmericaFest conference
Conservative radio host Ben Shapiro called out what he described as "frauds and grifters" who pose a threat to the conservative movement, including Tucker Carlson, during his speech at AmericaFest 2025 on Thursday.
Shapiro opened his remarks at the Turning Point USA conference in Phoenix by denouncing figures like Carlson and Candace Owens, accusing them of undermining conservative principles.
"Today the conservative movement is in serious danger, not just from the left that all too frequently excuses everything up to and including murder," Shapiro said. "The conservative movement is also in danger from charlatans who claim to speak in the name of principle but actually traffic in conspiracism and dishonesty, who offer nothing but bile and despair, who seek to undermine fundamental principles of conservatism by championing aggravation and grievance. These people are frauds, and they are grifters, and they do not deserve your time."
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While acknowledging that Carlson was also scheduled to speak at the conference later that night, The Daily Wire co-founder said commentators such as Carlson were "guilty of cowardice" for staying silent as Owens spread conspiracy theories regarding Turning Point USA co-founder Charlie Kirk's assassination.
"The fact that they have said nothing while Candace has been vomiting all sorts of hideous and conspiratorial nonsense to the public square for years is just as cowardly," Shapiro said.
He also criticized Carlson's methods as "lazy, stupid and misleading" for implying insider knowledge but refusing to show evidence under the guise of asking questions.
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"Our duty to provide you evidence means we actually have to do more than just ask questions," Shapiro said. "Just asking questions is something my five-year-old does. And it's really cute when it comes from my five-year-old, but when grown men and women spend their days 'just asking questions' without, you know, seeking answers, they are lying to you. In fact, they're doing something even worse. They're seeding distrust in the world around you, and they are enervating you in the process."
He urged Carlson to take responsibility for platforming controversial guests like White nationalist Nick Fuentes while not condemning or questioning their positions.
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"There's a reason Charlie Kirk despised Nick Fuentes and indeed chided Dinesh D'Souza for debating him. He knew that Nick Fuentes is an evil troll and that building him up is an act of moral imbecility. And that is precisely what Tucker Carlson did. He built Nick Fuentes up. And he ought to take responsibility for that," Shapiro said, referring to Carlson's interview of him on his X program.
Shapiro had also criticized Carlson the night before during remarks at the Heritage Foundation.
"A conservatism that treats Tucker Carlson as a thought leader is no conservatism," Shapiro said. "If conservatives do not stand up and draw lines, conservatism and the dream of America itself will cease to exist."
Former NBA star Penny Hardaway suggests league lacks element of fun
Former NBA star Penny Hardaway now devotes most of his time to the film room, practice and the sideline while guiding the Memphis men’s basketball team.
Hardaway, in his eighth year coaching the Tigers, revealed his plans for the upcoming brief holiday break.
Despite a holiday layoff from Dec. 22 through New Year's Eve, Hardaway plans to watch 50 college games, saying on his weekly radio show that he prefers the college game over today's NBA style.
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Hardaway argued the professional ranks lack an element of fun. "It’s just not fun to watch anymore," the four-time NBA All-Star said. "It’s just not fun to watch anymore," the four-time NBA All-Star said.
"It’s like, over the years, to me, it’s just getting worse and worse. Not in a bad way. But for me to watch, because I’m in college, I see the fundamentals and playing team ball," he said. "And just shooting all the 3s now is just a little irritating to me to just watch an NBA game. No one shoots layups anymore. It’s fun to watch for fans.
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"But for guys that were pure in the game, it’s a little difficult."
Hardaway was the third overall pick in the 1993 NBA Draft and the runner-up at the end of that season's Rookie of the Year voting. While Hardaway has placed the pros on the back burner, there are still a few teams he enjoys watching.
"I do love watching (the Oklahoma City Thunder), not because they’re the best team in the NBA, but they play the game the right way," he said.
"(And the) Celtics, they play the game the right way. And I still enjoy watching the Grizzlies. I still like watching to see how they’re progressing. The Knicks, watching Jalen Brunson. I watch Minnesota with Anthony Edwards."
While the advent of name, image and likeness (NIL) has been widely debated, it has undoubtedly shifted the college sports landscape. Hardaway acknowledged the changes in recent years but still concluded that college hoops’ style is more appealing than what the NBA presents.
"But I’ll take that style over the NBA," he said.
Hardaway has guided Memphis to three consecutive NCAA Division I men’s basketball tournament appearances. The Tigers enter Saturday’s visit to Mississippi State with a 4-6 record.
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Erika Kirk welcomes attendees to first AmericaFest since husband's death, endorses JD Vance for president
Turning Point USA CEO Erika Kirk welcomed attendees Thursday to the conservative organization's first AmericaFest conference since the death of founder Charlie Kirk, paying tribute to her late husband and his mission while also endorsing Vice President JD Vance to be the next president.
"What I'm inspired by is the fact that Charlie and I, again, will go wherever we need to go, but so will you. That's why you guys are here," she said at the conference in Phoenix, Ariz. "All of you here are because you know you're saying, 'I want to do something.'"
AmFest was her husband's "Super Bowl," she said, and she was honored to carry on its legacy as conservatives continue to mourn his assassination.
"What I have learned so much within these past three months, again, the enemy, that he will never win. We know we're on the winning side," she said. "God is so good."
TURNING POINT USA HOLDS AMERICAFEST CONFERENCE FOLLOWING CHARLIE KIRK ASSASSINATION
She noted 80% of the attendees had never attended a TPUSA event. The conservative organization has seen an explosion in interest since the assassination, which galvanized students on campuses around the country.
In an apparent dig at podcaster Candace Owens, Erika Kirk quipped that Egypt was not one of the countries represented by attendees at the event. Owens has posited numerous conspiracy theories around the Kirk assassination, including that a mysterious Egyptian plane could be linked to the killing.
Kirk said she had learned who she could rely on and pray with over the three months since her husband's death, and she also joked that far-left podcaster Joy Reid could use a "really good hug" and she'd even touch the back of her head. Reid recently disparaged Kirk's attire, saying she wasn't in "widow wear," and the way she embraced Vance at a Turning Point event earlier this year.
Kirk rattled off statistics about Turning Point's remarkable growth since Sept. 10, including more than 1 million students involved, 3,082 Club America chapters and 1,432 college chapters.
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She said the organization would help ensure President Donald Trump's Republican Party kept control of Congress for his entire term, and then said it would get her husband's friend JD Vance "elected for 48 in the most resounding way possible." The next commander-in-chief will be the 48th president.
"There are so many ways to get involved," she told attendees. "That's why Charlie built Turning Point USA the way he did. He didn't care your race, your age, your background."
She also overcame a technical malfunction, as she noted, her prepared remarks on her iPad disappeared at the outset of her comments.
"So that’s a fun technical difficulty that we can figure out. So we’re just going to wing it," she said to cheers.
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Kirk told the audience to let the event be a literal turning point in their lives, saying as she concluded her remarks that the conference should stretch and challenge them.
Speakers at the event through the weekend include Vance, Donald Trump Jr., Tulsi Gabbard, Vivek Ramaswamy, House Speaker Mike Johnson, Tom Homan, and numerous other conservative leaders in politics and the media.
US military strikes narco-terrorist vessels in latest Eastern Pacific drug trafficking operation
Joint Task Force Southern Spear forces struck two alleged narco-terrorist vessels moving along a major drug corridor in the Eastern Pacific on Thursday, killing five militants without suffering any U.S. casualties.
U.S. Southern Command (SOUTHCOM) released a video on X showing the opening strike and the aftermath, with the targeted boat engulfed in flames.
"On Dec. 18, at the direction of [Secretary of War] Pete Hegseth, Joint Task Force Southern Spear conducted lethal kinetic strikes on two vessels operated by Designated Terrorist Organizations in international waters," the post read. "Intelligence confirmed that the vessels were transiting along known narco-trafficking routes in the Eastern Pacific and were engaged in narco-trafficking operations.
"A total of five male narco-terrorists were killed during these actions — three in the first vessel and two in the second vessel," SOUTHCOM added. "No U.S. military forces were harmed."
Joint Task Force Southern Spear was established to help unify Navy, Coast Guard, intelligence and special operations assets to rapidly strike time-sensitive targets at sea.
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The Pentagon has not released the identities of the four narco-terrorists killed or the specific terrorist organization involved.
The U.S. has conducted dozens of strikes on suspected drug-trafficking vessels in the Eastern Pacific and Caribbean to dismantle narco-terrorist networks, targeting groups such as Venezuela’s Tren de Aragua and Colombia’s Ejército de Liberación Nacional.
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The campaign began Sept. 2 with a strike that killed 11 alleged members of Tren de Aragua, followed by additional operations that reportedly eliminated dozens more across known trafficking routes.
U.S. forces have reportedly hit various types of vessels, including submersibles, fishing boats and high-speed vessels.
Earlier this month, the Trump administration launched its "Fentanyl Free America" plan, with the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) reporting that strikes on suspected Caribbean drug vessels are helping curb the flow of illegal drugs into the U.S.
Fox News Digital’s Bonny Chu contributed to this report.
Maria Shriver slams Trump over Kennedy Center name change decision: 'Beyond comprehension'
Maria Shriver slammed President Donald Trump on Thursday after the Kennedy Center's board voted unanimously to rename the institution to the "Trump-Kennedy Center," accusing him of trying to attach his name to a memorial dedicated to her uncle, President John F. Kennedy.
Shriver, a high-profile member of the Kennedy family, said it is "beyond comprehension" to change the center's name, accusing Trump of staining JFK’s legacy in art, culture and education.
"It is beyond comprehension that this sitting president has sought to rename this great memorial dedicated to President Kennedy," Shriver wrote on X. "It is beyond wild that he would think adding his name in front of President Kennedy’s name is acceptable. It is not."
Kennedy Center vice president of public relations Roma Daravi told Fox Digital Thursday that the unanimous vote "recognizes" Trump's work to pull the center out of financial straits while working to also update the building originally constructed in the 1960s, and opened in 1971.
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Shriver argued that adding Trump's name was not "dignified" or "funny," and "is way beneath the stature of the job."
"Just when you think someone can’t stoop any lower, down they go," she said.
The former First Lady of California quipped that Trump might want to rename JFK Airport or make other changes, including the "Trump Lincoln Memorial," "Trump Jefferson Memorial" and "Trump Smithsonian."
"Can we not see what is happening here?" Shriver said. "C’mon, my fellow Americans! Wake up!"
President Trump said on Thursday he was "honored" and "surprised" by the update.
"We're saving the building. We saved the building. The building was in such bad shape, physically, financially, in every other way. And now it's very solid, very strong. We have something going on television, I guess on the 23rd December. I think it's going to get very big ratings and the Kennedy Center is really, really back strongly," he told reporters.
Other members of the Kennedy family, including JFK's great-nephew, Joe Kennedy III, weighed in on the name change, arguing that federal law protects the center's name from being changed.
"It can no sooner be renamed than can someone rename the Lincoln Memorial, no matter what anyone says," he wrote on X.
The name change follows recent precedent, a Kennedy Center official told Fox News Digital, noting that the State Department’s decided earlier this month to add Trump’s name to the U.S. Institute of Peace and to past presidential administrations that have renamed military bases.
Fox News Digital has reached out to the White House for comment.
Fox News Digital's Ashley Carnahan and Emma Colton contributed to this report.
Minneapolis police chief blasts ICE after agent seen dragging woman through street, kneeling on her back
Minneapolis' police chief condemned Immigration and Customs Enforcement after an agent was seen dragging an allegedly pregnant woman through the street and kneeling on her back during an attempted arrest earlier this week.
Video on Monday in a Minneapolis neighborhood showed people yelling at ICE agents to release the woman, saying she was pregnant and could not breathe.
An agent was captured on video kneeling on the woman's back before later dragging her through the snow by one arm on her back toward a vehicle.
"Let her go! Let her go!" witnesses yelled as the agent dragged the woman at an intersection.
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The woman was eventually released from the agent's grasp.
Minneapolis Police Chief Brian O’Hara said at a news conference on Tuesday that local police were called to the scene by a federal agent who claimed officers needed help.
But when police arrived, there was no violence against federal officers, O’Hara said, adding that other law enforcement agencies may have been using "questionable methods."
"Once it was determined that the scene was safe and there was no violence occurring, our officers disengaged from the scene," O’Hara said.
"We have been training our officers for the last five years very, very intensely on de-escalation," he continued. "But unfortunately, that is not, that is often not what we are seeing from other agencies in the city."
O’Hara also said in a statement to Reuters that the footage of the woman dragged through the street is "profoundly disturbing."
"This egregious disregard for human dignity is appalling," he said. "It is deeply concerning that there appears to be a lack of accountability from our federal partners."
The woman who filmed the incident, Lauryn Spencer, was driving on her lunch break when she heard whistles and honking, which have been used to warn of ICE agents in the area.
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Spencer said she approached the scene and began recording immediately, but was shoved back by an agent when she attempted to ask the woman being dragged what her name was. Spencer said she and other onlookers were also sprayed with chemical irritants.
"They were being very aggressive from the beginning, like there was never a time where they attempted to use diplomacy," she told The Associated Press. "I didn’t see anybody throw any hard items. The snowballs were definitely being thrown, but we didn’t start throwing snowballs until they started dragging her around by her wrist."
Department of Homeland Security spokeswoman Tricia McLaughlin purported that federal agents were targeting a vehicle when protesters "threw rocks, chunks of ice, assaulted officers and used pepper spray." She said two people were charged with assaulting federal officers and remain in custody and that the agents sustained injuries, including cuts.
McLaughlin further alleged that agents attempted to arrest the woman in the video because she "rushed an ICE vehicle and attempted to vandalize it" but that they abandoned the arrest after being swarmed by protesters.
Footage showed ICE agents shattering a window before detaining a male driver, according to CBS News Minnesota. A short time later, the agents detained the woman who was seen being dragged in the video.
Agents were also seen fending off protesters who threw snowballs at them. The agents used chemical irritants, and one used a taser before yelling at the crowd: "Who wants more?"
Tensions have been escalating in the Minneapolis-St. Paul area as federal authorities continue an immigration crackdown as part of President Donald Trump's mass deportation agenda.
Former Minnesota state legislator Hodan Hassan said she believes ICE tactics are becoming more harsh as the immigration enforcement operation in the region continues.
"The first week, they were not very aggressive. They were stopping people. Second week, we saw them really aggressive," she told The Associated Press.
The clash in south Minneapolis happened just a couple miles away from where George Floyd was killed in 2020 by then-Minneapolis police officer Derek Chauvin, who was kneeling on his neck, sparking nationwide protests advocating for racial justice and police reform. Chauvin was sentenced to prison for murder and for violating Floyd's civil rights.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.