In Minneapolis, civil rights attorney Nekima Levy Armstrong publicly addressed her arrest during a protest targeting immigration enforcement, responding specifically after the White House disseminated an altered image portraying her in an emotional and detained state. The protest disrupted a service at a church where an Immigration and Customs Enforcement official holds a pastoral role.
On Thursday, the White House posted a photograph on its official X social media page showing Levy Armstrong with tears on her face and hands behind her back, being escorted by a blurred individual adorned with a badge. The accompanying caption, presented in uppercase letters, identified her as a "far-left agitator" responsible for inciting "church riots" in Minnesota. Similarly, Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem shared the very same image but with Levy Armstrong displaying a neutral facial expression.
Contrasting the White House's portrayal, Levy Armstrong provided her own video recording of the arrest, captured by her husband, Marques Armstrong. This footage depicts federal agents approaching to detain her, and throughout the more than seven-minute clip, Levy Armstrong is seen communicating respectfully while being handcuffed and guided into a government vehicle. Contrary to the earlier shared photo, the video does not show her crying.
During the arrest, Levy Armstrong pleads politely for dignified treatment. An agent informs her that handcuffs must be applied, while another agent records the interaction on their phone. When Armstrong questions the recording, the agent assures her it will not be shared on social media platforms such as Twitter, emphasizing an intent not to fabricate a misleading narrative. Levy Armstrong articulates her stance, stating, "You know that this is a significant abuse of power," citing her refusal to remain silent against what she terms "brutality from ICE."
Following their detention, Levy Armstrong and fellow protester Chauntyll Allen, a member of the St. Paul school board who was also arrested, were both released on Friday. This update was provided by Levy Armstrong's organization, the Racial Justice Network. Neither party's legal representatives offered comments regarding the incident.
Levy Armstrong's spokesperson shared an audio message recorded by Levy Armstrong from jail, in which she asserts that the video she released reveals the Trump administration's use of artificial intelligence to manipulate images regarding her detention. She characterized the arrests as politically motivated persecution due to their outspoken opposition to what she described as authoritarianism and tyranny under the Trump administration.
Efforts to obtain comment from the Department of Homeland Security have not yielded immediate responses.