Alleging ‘political violence,’ Hennepin County prosecutors charge man with assaulting ICE protester

A man confronted and assaulted one of several anti-ICE demonstrators outside a Twin Cities federal court building, according to a criminal complaint filed on Dec. 30.

Zak X, 36, of St. Cloud was charged in Hennepin County District Court with misdemeanor assault in connection with the attack on Dec. 27 outside the Henry Whipple Federal Building at Fort Snelling, where immigration court hearings are held.

X, who legally changed his name in 2024, was released from jail about 6 p.m. on Dec. 30 after posting bond. He’s due in court on Dec. 31. Court records do not list an attorney for him.

In the hours leading up to his arrival outside the Whipple Building, X posted on Facebook that “We’re going in on a dangerous mission today!”

Shortly after leaving jail, X returned to Facebook and claimed in one of several postings about his experience, “I was so scared. 5 or 6 in total of people attacking me. I really thought they would let me have my 1st amendment.”

Hennepin County Attorney Mary Moriarty said in a statement, “The defendant engaged in political violence, assaulting a protester whose views he disagreed with. This behavior has consequences, and we will hold him accountable. We are committed to protecting the right to nonviolent protest.”

The Whipple Building court, one of 70 handling a growing number of immigration proceedings across the country, has a backlog of roughly 60,000 cases and is often the site of protests.

The small, windowless courtrooms on the first floor are often locked, preventing the public from witnessing hearings. Court staff also routinely redact the names from a calendar listing the dozens of immigrants scheduled to appear each day.

According to the complaint:

Sheriff’s deputies spoke at the scene with a demonstrator who said he was the person attacked by X.

Law enforcement reviewed video of the encounter, and it “clearly depicts [X] approaching the victim from behind while the victim is facing away,” the complaint read. “[He] is observed balling his fist and delivering multiple uppercut punches to the victim in a blindside attack.”

The blows sent the demonstrator to the ground, having suffered injuries to his face.

He was taking photos during the demonstration when X walked up, got in people’s faces and was looking to start a fight by feigning punches and kicks, Juhn said.

Eventually, a fight broke out, he said. At one point, X went back to his car, but became highly anxious about having lost his phone in the scuffle, Juhn said. He returned to the scene, and sheriff’s deputies arrested him.