Protesters marched through downtown Minneapolis on Friday night, setting off fireworks and banging pots and pans as they gathered outside hotels said to be housing federal immigration agents.
The fatal shooting of a U.S. citizen by an Immigration and Customs Enforcement officer earlier this week sparked the demonstration.
The protest took place amid heightened national scrutiny of U.S. immigration enforcement and the use of force by federal agents, with similar demonstrations reported in other cities.
In a rare international comment on the incident, the United Nations described footage of the fatal shooting circulating online as “deeply disturbing” and urged a thorough investigation, saying the right to peaceful protest is an inherent right in the United States and elsewhere.
In Minneapolis, demonstrators used drums, brass instruments, whistles and megaphones to stage what organisers described as a "noise demonstration", briefly disrupting traffic and drawing residents onto balconies to join in by banging kitchenware.
Video footage showed protesters marching with placards, fireworks exploding overhead and crowds moving through city streets before gathering outside buildings linked by activists to federal agents. Some protesters were also seen spray-painting graffiti on entrance doors.
The protests were triggered by the death of Renee Nichole Good, who was fatally shot by an Immigration and Customs Enforcement officer on Wednesday during an encounter connected to a federal operation.
An activist said Good had been taking part in a "neighbourhood patrol" aimed at observing immigration enforcement activity.
U.S. officials said the officer fired after Good attempted to run over the agent. Supporters disputed that account, saying video footage showed she steered away from him.
Minnesota authorities said on Friday they had opened a separate criminal investigation into the shooting, after some state law enforcement officials said the Federal Bureau of Investigation was refusing to cooperate fully with state investigators.
The case has renewed debate over the role of federal immigration agencies, accountability in law enforcement operations and the relationship between state authorities and federal agencies.
U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, known as ICE, is a federal law enforcement agency operating under the Department of Homeland Security.
It was created in 2003 following the September 11 attacks and is responsible for enforcing immigration laws within the United States, as well as investigating cross-border crime.
ICE has two main branches: Enforcement and Removal Operations, which oversees immigration arrests, detention and deportation, and Homeland Security Investigations, which focuses on crimes such as human trafficking, drug smuggling and financial fraud.
The agency has long been controversial. Critics argue its tactics intimidate immigrant communities and blur the line between civil enforcement and criminal policing, while supporters say strict enforcement is essential for public safety and national security.
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