Federal immigration agents deployed to Minneapolis have used aggressive crowd-control tactics — including pointing rifles at demonstrators and deploying chemical irritants early in confrontations — actions the government says are necessary to protect officers from violent attacks. But law enforcement experts warn these measures are escalating risk and being carried out by agents without extensive crowd-management training.
Videos and witness accounts reviewed by The Associated Press show federal agents breaking vehicle windows, pulling occupants from cars and deploying chemical agents such as tear gas and pepper spray during close confrontations with protesters. Experts say such tactics, while sometimes justified in targeted arrests, carry heightened risks when used on crowds.
