Police in Minnesota arrested multiple anti-ICE protesters Monday night after declaring an unlawful assembly outside a hotel in Maple Grove, where demonstrators believed a senior Border Patrol official was staying.

Authorities said the protest escalated beyond peaceful activity, prompting a dispersal order and subsequent arrests when some participants refused to leave, as reported by The New York Post.

The demonstration took place outside the SpringHill Suites by Marriott, where protesters believed U.S. Border Patrol Commander Gregory Bovino was lodging.

Maple Grove police said officers responded to reports of a protest at the hotel and determined the situation had deteriorated after agitators allegedly began throwing objects at officers and damaging property.

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After police declared an unlawful assembly and issued a dispersal order, several individuals who remained on scene were taken into custody, authorities said.

“The Maple Grove Police Department respects and upholds the First Amendment rights of individuals to peacefully assemble and express their views. Our priority remains the safety and security of all residents, visitors, and property within our community,” a spokesperson for the Maple Grove Police Department said in a statement to KSTP.

“At that point, the activity was no longer considered peaceful. Individuals participating in criminal acts are not protected under the First Amendment and were subject to arrest,” the spokesperson added.

Additional law enforcement agencies responded to assist, including the Minnesota State Patrol, Minnesota Department of Natural Resources, Hennepin County Sheriff’s Office, and the Hennepin Public Order Group.

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The protest and arrests followed a weekend of heightened tension surrounding federal immigration enforcement in Minneapolis.

President Donald Trump announced that Bovino and several agents would be leaving Minneapolis as part of a leadership reshuffling tied to the administration’s immigration crackdown.

The move came amid bipartisan scrutiny after Border Patrol agents fatally shot Alex Pretti, a 37-year-old U.S. citizen, during an enforcement operation over the weekend.

According to reports, Pretti was recording Border Patrol activity when the shooting occurred on Saturday.

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An ICU nurse, Pretti appeared to be attempting to assist a woman agents had knocked down when he was sprayed with an irritant, pushed to the ground, and beaten.

Video footage reportedly showed an agent pulling a gun from Pretti’s waistband before other agents fired multiple shots, killing him.

The administration has indicated that Tom Homan, the Border Czar, is expected to take the lead on immigration enforcement efforts in Minnesota going forward.

Bovino had faced backlash after making unsubstantiated public claims that Pretti intended to “massacre” law enforcement, comments from which the White House has distanced the president.

Some reports said Bovino was removed from his role as Border Patrol “commander-at-large” and would return to his former post as chief patrol agent in El Centro, California.

However, Homeland Security spokesperson Tricia McLaughlin said Bovino has “NOT been relieved of his duties” and remains a “key part of the President’s team.”

Bovino also reportedly lost access to his social media accounts following the controversy.

The White House similarly sought to distance itself from remarks made by Kristi Noem, who referred to Pretti as a “domestic terrorist,” and Stephen Miller, who described him as a “would-be assassin.”

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White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt said she has “not heard the president characterize” Pretti in those terms.

The Pretti shooting followed earlier unrest in Minneapolis connected to the ICE-involved killing of Renee Nicole Good earlier this month.

Law enforcement officials said they remain on alert as protests continue to accompany federal immigration operations in the Twin Cities area.

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