Feds Indict 15 Antifa Members for Conspiring to Injure Federal Officers

The Department of Justice on Tuesday announced that 15 individuals affiliated with two Minneapolis-based Antifa groups have been federally indicted on charges of conspiring to impede or injure federal officers.

“Today, a federal indictment was unsealed charging 15 defendants with conspiracy to impede or injure federal officers and other charges related to efforts of two Minneapolis-based Antifa groups that violently opposed the enforcement of federal law in our state,” Daniel Rosen, U.S. attorney for the District of Minnesota, said during a press conference.

Minneapolis has drawn national attention in recent months amid ongoing clashes involving federal law enforcement. The unrest followed reporting from independent journalist Nick Shirley, who exposed alleged widespread hospice fraud in the city.

In response to those allegations, the administration of President Donald Trump directed multiple federal agencies—including the Department of Homeland Security and the Department of Justice—to investigate and pursue those responsible.

Federal agents involved in those efforts have since faced continued scrutiny and protests. Earlier this spring, two deadly shootings occurred during confrontations involving demonstrators who were impeding Immigration and Customs Enforcement operations.

The shootings of Renee Good and Alex Pretti, who were killed by federal agents while they attempted to impede deportation operations in February, have since caused even more widespread scrutiny against federal agents, mobilizing the organized Antifa presence in the city.