Note on Timing and Risks of Unstructured Confrontations

I wrote the original Substack before the January 24 incident in which a man was shot and killed by federal agents during a Minneapolis operation that has sparked widespread protests and clashes in the city.

As I noted then, there’s real danger in confronting ICE and Border Patrol with an unstructured crowd during public arrest actions. Arrests in visible public spaces - like parking lots, sidewalks, or malls - draw crowds quickly, and without trained marshals, legal observers, and clear leadership, those moments become chaotic fast. In my experience, such actions rarely change the immediate outcome and often increase risk for bystanders, especially in high-tension situations where poorly trained federal agents may quickly escalate to deadly force.

What to avoid:

Anything that looks like obstruction or forced interference, even if emotionally justified.

Ad-hoc escalation at arrest scenes without structure, leadership, or legal observers.

More below: