Streets of Minneapolis

The protest song lives. Thanks, Bruce.

Through the winter’s ice and cold

Down Nicollet Avenue

A city aflame fought fire and ice

‘Neath an occupier’s boots

King Trump’s private army from the DHS

Guns belted to their coats

Came to Minneapolis to enforce the law

Or so their story goes

Against smoke and rubber bullets

By the dawn’s early light

Citizens stood for justice

Their voices ringing through the night

And there were bloody footprints

Where mercy should have stood

And two dead left to die on snow-filled streets

Alex Pretti and Renee Good

(Bruce Springsteen, "Streets of Minneapolis", YouTube, 2026; 'lyric video' Jan 30th)

Nicollet Ave and 26th St

On January 24th, Alex Pretti was shot dead by a CBP officer in Minneapolis. As the video shows and as the CNN breakdown (YouTube, 0:00-3:51) and The Daily Podcast explain:

• Pretti was holding his phone, directing traffic, and helping a fallen protester.
• Pretti had a legal permit to carry but never drew or "brandished" his gun.
• An agent (w grey coat) appears to remove Pretti's gun before the first shot.
• Federal agents then shot a motionless Pretti nine more times.

image from Common Dreams / Blue Sky

As with Renée Good, DHS officials have lied about and exaggerated the threat that Pretti posed. Witnesses, family, friends, and neighbors describe Pretti as the best kind of American. It's unbelievable that DHS's premature official statements could ever apply to him.

Two weeks ago, they killed a poet and mother, and now they've killed a VA ICU nurse who was dedicated to helping others – 'VA ICU nurse': all three parts of that job title are inspiring. Without a hint of accountability and acting as a secret police force, DHS has murdered and defamed two honorable citizens.

There's something happening here

What it is ain't exactly clear

There's a man with a gun over there

Telling me I got to beware

I think it's time we stop

Children, what's that sound?

Everybody look what's going down

(Stephen Stills – The Buffalo Springfield, "For What It's Worth", Springalo-Cotillion, 1966)

Kent State to Portland Avenue

On January 7th, Renée Good was shot dead by an ICE agent in Minneapolis. This CNN composite is one the best reconstructions of the incident. Consider:

• Good is not blocking the road, traffic is passing her; she motions for a car on her left to pass as she pulls slightly forward, and it drives in front of her before a silver truck approaches from the same side – Good also motions for that truck to "Go ahead,", but it stops.
• The federal agent who eventually shoots Good pulls behind her and stops his vehicle on Good's right, so there was room on both sides of the street for traffic to pass.
• Neither vehicle is marked; the masked officers are not wearing uniforms, only tactical gear with some identifying patches.
• The two agents who approach from the left do not identify themselves, do not state a reason for their approach, are given no cause to open Good's door; the only instruction heard is, "Get out of the fucking car!" – not, for example, 'Please move your vehicle.'
• White House and DHS officials have claimed that the shooter was struck by Good's vehicle, though there is no clear video evidence, and at no point does the officer react in pain (grab his knee or elbow, double-over, call out, limp, etc) – in fact, the officer walks towards Good's crashed vehicle muttering, "Fucking bitch," stops briefly beside the car, then briskly walks away with no sign of injury.
• A bystander identifying himself as a physician and offering to provide medical care is denied access; local witnesses report that no medical aid was given to Good for approximately fifteen minutes.
• The shooter, who was filming the incident with his phone, put his phone away and did not seem to call for help; he tells others to call 911 after he has already retreating down the street, offering no assistance, and soon left the site.

This is the ninth shooting incident since ICE was 'surged' by the Trump Administration. It's taken Trump less than a year to turn the US into a police state – five years and one day after the January 6th attack. If you disagree with the President, get ready to be harassed, bullied, denied your rights, imprisoned, renditioned, refused justice, or callously shot dead in the street. In my lifetime, we've learned nothing.

Gotta get down to it

Soldiers are cutting us down

Should have been done long ago

What if you knew her and found her dead on the ground

How can you run when you know?

(Neil Young – CSNY, "Ohio", Cotillion/Broken Arrow, 1970)