Tear gas in a neighborhood street? A tense confrontation in St. Paul now raises more questions than answers. What started as a seemingly routine law enforcement operation quickly spiraled into chaos, with federal agents and city police clashing with protesters in the Payne-Phalen neighborhood on Tuesday afternoon.
Eyewitnesses say the conflict began around late morning near Payne and Rose avenues, when a crowd started gathering outside a residential block. Masked federal officers, joined by St. Paul police, were seen at the scene as agents escorted a man out of a nearby house. At first, tensions were limited to shouting and verbal protests — but then everything changed. Video captured by WCCO showed several individuals surrounding a white van before its driver released a chemical spray into the crowd. Moments later, tear gas canisters were fired as police cruisers attempted to retreat from the area.
As chaos spread, witnesses reported protesters throwing debris and objects at both officers and vehicles. In response, law enforcement deployed pepper balls and other chemical irritants. According to WCCO’s Conor Wight, both federal agents and St. Paul officers were involved in dispersing the crowd with chemical agents. EMTs soon arrived to assist those injured, but the exact number of individuals taken into custody remains unclear.
Neighborhood organizer Vivian Tran described the experience as unbearable: “It burns your eyes, your lungs, your nose — it’s unbearable without a mask,” she said. Tran condemned the actions of police and federal officers, calling their tactics “chemical warfare.” And here’s where the controversy deepens: Why were such extreme crowd-control measures used in a residential setting — and by whose authority?
City Councilmember Hwa Jeong Kim, who represents the affected area, said she was “horrified” by what she witnessed. She stated that several local leaders, including herself, were tear-gassed alongside residents. “This is completely unacceptable,” Kim added. “The St. Paul Police Department works for the people on this street — their role is to protect us, not harm us.”
Mayor Melvin Carter arrived on scene later that day and acknowledged he had serious concerns about the unfolding events. “We will get to the bottom of this,” he said, noting that all officers wearing the St. Paul badge were equipped with active body cameras. Minnesota Governor Tim Walz also weighed in, saying the state received no advance notice from federal authorities about the operation. “This was not coordination — it was chaos,” his statement read.
WCCO has reached out to both U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) and the St. Paul Police Department for further details. Police Chief Axel Henry, in an interview just last week, emphasized that the city’s officers “do not engage in immigration-only actions.” He clarified that while St. Paul’s department won’t take part in purely immigration raids, officers will respond if a situation escalates or if crimes occur nearby. “If you see a St. Paul badge, that is not an immigration detail,” Henry reiterated, adding that local police remain committed to cooperating with federal partners under lawful circumstances.
This latest incident follows last week’s federal raid on Bro-Tex, Inc., a St. Paul-based paper distribution company, where federal agents arrested 14 individuals during an immigration operation. That confrontation also turned physical — video footage captured agents, some donning FBI and DEA markings, pushing through demonstrators blocking their vehicles and once again deploying chemical irritants to clear the area.
The situation in St. Paul has left many questioning accountability and transparency among law enforcement agencies. Were local officers properly informed about federal actions in their city? Were residents’ rights violated during the operation? And most pressing of all — how should communities respond when those sworn to protect them become a source of fear?
This is a developing story, and updates are expected as investigations continue. What do you think — were police justified in their use of chemical agents, or was this an excessive show of force? Share your thoughts and join the conversation below.
