NEW: DOJ Pronounces Arrests Of A number of Far-Left Rioters
The U.S. Justice Department on Wednesday announced that 16 individuals have been arrested and charged for allegedly assaulting and impeding federal agents during recent unrest in Minneapolis.
“I am on the ground in Minneapolis today. Federal agents have arrested 16 Minnesota rioters for allegedly assaulting federal law enforcement — people who have been resisting and impeding our federal law enforcement agents,” Attorney General Pam Bondi said in a statement. “We expect more arrests to come. I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again: NOTHING will stop President Trump and this Department of Justice from enforcing the law.”
The arrests were made under 18 U.S. Code § 111, a federal statute that addresses assaulting, resisting, opposing, impeding, intimidating, or interfering with federal officers or employees while they are engaged in official duties. Violations can result in fines and imprisonment, with penalties escalating if a deadly or dangerous weapon is used or if bodily injury occurs.
The maximum sentence in cases involving bodily injury can reach up to eight years.
Wednesday’s arrests were made in connection with sustained unrest in Minneapolis this month, which erupted on January 7 when local “ICE watch” agitator Renee Good was shot and killed while attempting to run over a federal agent. Violence escalated to new highs last week, when anti-ICE agitator Alex Pretti was shot and killed while attempting to reach for a firearm.
What followed was several days of sustained violence targeting federal agents and hotels they were allegedly staying at. Violence has largely cooled down in recent days, after Minnesota Governor Tim Walz capitulated to the Trump Administration and deployed local law enforcement resources, which had largely been absent, to quell the unrest.
— Attorney General Pamela Bondi (@AGPamBondi) January 28, 2026
While detailed incident reports for each federal arrest have not been fully released publicly, initial announcements indicate the charges involve actions that allegedly obstructed or confronted federal personnel. Reports have referenced at least one incident involving serious injury to an officer, including an allegation that an individual bit off part of a Homeland Security Investigations officer’s finger, though authorities have not yet publicly linked specific names to that event
Among the broader group of 16 arrests, federal officials have highlighted cases involving direct physical interference or resistance.
The Justice Department will likely face issues with a growing crisis surrounding left-wing jury nullification, however, which has become increasingly common in Democrat-controlled cities. Los Angeles Times journalist James Queally reported that federal prosecutors in Los Angeles have yet to secure a single conviction against violent agitators accused of attacking ICE.
This comes despite clear video evidence of rioters assaulting agents with bricks, fireworks and other objects during unrest in Los Angeles last summer.
“Mass judge and jury nullification, deep in blue territory, of slam-dunk assault cases against federal law enforcement,” said White House Deputy Chief of Staff Stephen Miller.
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