Teargas meets Molotov cocktails on Nicollet Avenue as a city pushed to the brink declares war on Trump’s ‘occupying force’. The execution of Alex Pretti has set the Midwest on fire.

Minneapolis is burning again. Six years after the death of George Floyd, the city has once again become the epicenter of American rage. [...](asc_slot://start-slot-11)The catalyst this time is the fatal shooting of Alex Pretti, a 37-year-old ICU nurse, by federal agents. What started as a vigil has morphed into a full-scale uprising, with protesters clashing with armored federal units late into Sunday night.

"Domestic Terrorist"

The anger on the streets is fueled by the Trump administration's rhetoric. In a move that has stunned observers, Department of Homeland Security officials labeled the slain nurse a "domestic terrorist," citing his resistance to federal authority. Governor Tim Walz dismissed the claim as "absolute nonsense," pointing to the video evidence showing Pretti was armed only with a cellphone.

"They kill our son and then they kill his character," Pretti's father told reporters, his voice trembling with grief and fury. "He spent his life saving veterans. They treated him like an insurgent."

The Battle for the City

The scenes on the ground are apocalyptic. Federal agents, deployed to enforce a strict immigration crackdown, have turned Minneapolis into a fortress. Protesters, undeterred by rubber bullets and chemical agents, have established "autonomous zones" in the city center.

• The Tactic: Unlike 2020, the federal response is militarized from the start. Agents are using aggressive "snatch and grab" tactics to detain protest leaders.
• The Resistance: The protesters are more organized, using encrypted comms and makeshift shields to hold their ground.

A Nation Divided

As the National Guard remains on standby, the shooting of Alex Pretti has become a symbol of a nation at war with itself. For the protesters in Minneapolis, this is no longer just about police reform; it is a fight for the right to exist without being gunned down by the state. The fire next time is here, and it is consuming everything.