More than a dozen protesters were arrested during a disturbance outside a Maple Grove hotel, where they believed Border Patrol Cmdr. Greg Bovino was staying.
The arrests came after Maple Grove police and state troopers declared an unlawful assembly on Jan. 26 outside the SpringHill Suites by Marriott in the 11600 block of Arbor Lakes Parkway.
A swarm of officers began gradually moving the crowd away from the building at about 9:30 p.m. and made arrests as they went along. The crowd had dispersed as of 10 p.m.
A statement from police said that while the department “respects and upholds the First Amendment rights of individuals to peacefully assemble and express their views ... the situation escalated when individuals in the crowd engaged in unlawful behavior. Property damage occurred, and objects were thrown at officers. At that point, the activity was no longer considered peaceful.”
According to the Hennepin County jail log and the State Patrol, at least 13 arrests were made.
All of the suspects, men and women ranging in age from 19 to 37, remain in custody a day later as prosecutors weigh charges of unlawful assembly and riot. The Minnesota Star Tribune generally does not identify suspects before they are charged.
As Border Patrol commander, Bovino has been the face of the federal crackdown on undocumented immigrants in the Twin Cities and elsewhere in Minnesota.
However, that role appears to be coming to an end. The commander will reportedly be leaving Minneapolis as early as Tuesday. The White House is sending in border czar Tom Homan to take over its Minnesota immigration operation.
