What began as a casual lunch between five Twin Cities software engineers quickly escalated into a frightening encounter after the men were misidentified as undercover federal agents and protesters were alerted to the Minneapolis restaurant where they were dining.
Alpha News obtained video and spoke with one of the men, Lee, a software engineer from Plymouth, who described how the situation unfolded.
Group chat alert allegedly triggered protest
Lee said the group was eating lunch at Clancey’s Deli, near 38th Street and Grand Avenue South, when one of the men — who belongs to an anti-ICE Signal chat — received a message from a group labeled “SW Minneapolis Rapid Response” claiming that plainclothes ICE agents were dining at the restaurant.
According to Lee, the message stated the presence of ICE agents had been “confirmed by the owner” of the restaurant, who Lee identified as the woman who rang up their order.
“My friend was shocked,” Lee said. “He’s on the [anti-ICE] side politically. He lives nearby. He’s eaten there before. And suddenly he’s seeing messages saying we’re ICE.”
Lee said the alert was shared among regional anti-ICE networks, drawing dozens of protesters to the restaurant within 15 minutes.
‘I’m just trying to enjoy my lunch!’
The software engineers — all white males dressed casually in sweatshirts and jackets — were soon confronted by protesters who surrounded the restaurant, shouting insults and blowing whistles in their ears as they attempted to leave, according to Lee.
“We were just trying to eat lunch,” said Lee, who said protesters began gathering outside the deli’s windows, looking in and taking photos and videos of the group as they ate.
Once the men stepped outside, Lee said the atmosphere quickly became volatile.
“Next thing we know, people are yelling, ‘I hope you die,’ and calling us pedophiles.”
In the video, one of the men tells the protesters that they were just software engineers trying to have a meal, explaining: “We do custom apps for a whole bunch of companies around Minnesota and the country.”
The crowd appears unconvinced, prompting one of the men to ask, “Do I look like an ICE agent?” to which a woman responds, “Yeah, you look like a f-cking ICE agent.”
Someone else yells, “get the f-ck out” as whistles blow.
“This is what’s wrong with your guys’ cause,” the man says.
A woman asks, “Would you support [us]?”
The man answers, “The way you guys are acting? No. And I don’t support ICE either,” adding, “I’m just trying to enjoy my lunch!”
“If you’re not with us then you’re against us,” the woman responds.
Lee said the main ringleader of the protesters said they deserved it because they were “white privileged males.”
Lee said the scene felt volatile and unpredictable.
“My buddy thought we were going to get shot,” he said, saying the restaurant owner is responsible for the chaos. “You don’t tell extremists that random customers are ICE agents. That’s how people get hurt.”
Alpha News contacted Clancey’s Deli during regular business hours seeking comment but did not receive a response by publication time.
Lee emphasized to Alpha News that the group’s political views were mixed, but said the encounter left some of them reconsidering their positions.
“One of us is pro-ICE, one anti-ICE, others on the fence,” he said. “After this, I think some of them are rethinking everything.”
Lee said the protesters appeared energized by the confrontation.
“It felt like their Super Bowl,” he said. “Like they’d been waiting days for someone to finally show up.”
Jenna Gloeb
Jenna Gloeb is an Edward R. Murrow Award-winning journalist, media producer, public speaker, and screenwriter. Most recently, she worked as a reporter and on-air host for CCX Media. Jenna is a Minnesota native and resides in the Twin Cities with her husband, son, daughter, and two dogs.
