By Rich Larson and Kenzie Nguyen
Northfield Community members ranging in age from seniors to local college students gathered at the Fairfield Inn of Northfield on Monday night to protest the presence of Immigration and Custom Enforcement (ICE) officials in Northfield after discovering that federal agents had checked into the hotel.
Dozens gathered outside of the Fairfield Inn at the crossing between the hotel and Premier Bank Northfield. Northfield Police Department officials gave the protestors a warning about the unlawful noise ordinance before the protest began, stating demonstrators would be arrested if caught using speakers and instruments that violate the law. Despite the warnings, demonstrators began to use their instruments and speakers around 11:20 pm.
A statement issued by the Northfield Police Department said officers observed violations related to noise, public nuisance, and disorderly conduct. Lawful dispersal orders were issued. When those orders were not followed, the gathering was declared an unlawful assembly, which ultimately resulted in one arrest.
Andy Beaham, the Director of Operations for Rebound Hospitality, said the agents may or may not have been ICE agents. They did not identify themselves as ICE, he said, but the agency for which they work is unknown.
“There were conversations between the agents and Northfield police officers, and the officers were told they were federal agents. They were not ICE. I’m not getting involved because no matter if they were or weren’t, we are required to let them stay. They said that they were in town on an investigation, not enforcement.”
Beaham went on to say that the agents checked out of the Fairfield Inn on Tuesday morning, despite having made reservations through Thursday evening, saying their investigation had concluded, and they were no longer staying at the hotel.
The demonstration followed what is now a string of controversial and violent ICE enforcement operations in Minnesota, two of which resulted in the deaths of Minneapolis residents Renee Good on January 7th and Alex Pretti on January 24th. ICE has been active in Northfield for several weeks now, detaining at least two long-time Northfield residents, but that number is almost assuredly much higher. Northfielder Adan Nunez Gonzalez was pulled from his car and arrested on November 11th. He was later deported to Mexico.
Rumors of ICE staying at The Fairfield Inn have persisted for weeks in Northfield. Beaham stressed this was the only night federal agents had checked into the hotel, and there are no current reservations made by any federal agents, nor, to the best of his knowledge, are there any registered currently as guests.
Rich Larson is the owner and General Manager of KYMN Radio. Contact him at rich@kymnradio.net. Kenzie Nguyen is a senior at St. Olaf College, and Executive Editor of the Manitou Messenger and a KYMN News intern. Contact her at kenzie@kymnradio.net.
