A federal judge in Minnesota just handed down an 83-page order that perfectly illustrates how the left weaponizes language to protect lawbreakers. As PJ Media previously reported, U.S. District Judge Katherine Menendez, a Biden nominee, issued sweeping restrictions Friday on how federal immigration agents can handle what she calls “peaceful protests” in Minneapolis.
The order blocks agents from using pepper spray, making arrests, or deploying other crowd-control tools against protesters during Trump’s ongoing immigration enforcement operations. Federal law enforcement also can’t stop or detain drivers and passengers near demonstrations, unless there’s “reasonable articulable suspicion” they’re forcibly interfering with immigration operations.
In theory, one could argue there’s nothing wrong with the order. After all, peaceful protest is protected speech. But here’s the problem. The left has turned “peaceful protest” into a catch-all shield for rioting, looting, assault, and worse. Suddenly, it’s not so simple.
Remember the summer of 2020? CNN famously described chaos in Kenosha, Wisconsin, as “fiery but mostly peaceful protests” while buildings literally burned in the background.
CNN chyron: pic.twitter.com/dfP3N8OnsQ
— Joe Concha (@JoeConchaTV) August 27, 2020
The same crap is happening today with leftists trying to rebrand obstructing federal agents, assaulting officers, and other criminal acts as “peaceful protests.”
They’re not.
Even Judge Menendez seemed to grasp this distinction, at least partially. “There may be ample suspicion to stop cars, and even arrest drivers engaged in dangerous conduct while following immigration enforcement officers, but that does not justify stops of cars not breaking the law,” she wrote. Again, fair enough on its face, but that nuance gets lost when activists and their media allies scream about federal overreach without acknowledging the violence agents are facing on the ground.
For our VIPs: Move Over TDS, Vance Derangement Syndrome Is Coming
Think about it. Renee Good was clearly attempting to obstruct an ICE operation. That alone is a violation of the law. But, we still have people on the left claiming she was just an innocent mom who had just dropped her kid off at school and wound up at the wrong place at the wrong time. The truth is, she was a trained anti-ICE activist there to obstruct federal officers, and then attempted to run over an agent with her car. Despite video evidence of her running her car into the agent, there are people on the left who dispute the video evidence and claim the ICE agent was not justified in defending himself.
So that gives us ample reason to object to this ruling. ICE agents are under attack from so-called protesters, and often have to make split-second decisions to protect themselves and their fellow agents. This judge’s order doesn’t just hamstring federal agents trying to do their jobs. It sends a message that if you wrap criminal behavior in the language of protest, you might get a pass. It’s an invitation for more lawfare against ICE agents and the Trump administration for simply enforcing immigration law.
That’s dangerous. Actual peaceful protest deserves protection, but blocking federal officers, throwing objects at agents, and creating chaos in the streets isn’t peaceful anything. It’s obstruction at best and assault at worst. Until we stop pretending otherwise, these games will continue.
Want to support fearless journalism that exposes the left and tells the stories the media won’t? PJ Media delivers the truth and holds the powerful accountable. Become a VIP member today — your support fuels our mission and unlocks exclusive content, podcasts, an ad-free experience, and more.
Use code FIGHT for 60% off. It’s a great time to join our movement. Join now and stand for America-first journalism!
