Alleging 'political violence,' Minn. prosecutors charge man with assaulting ICE protester

Paul Walsh, The Minnesota Star Tribune on Dec 31, 2025

By clicking submit, I authorize Arcamax and its affiliates to: (1) use, sell, and share my information for marketing purposes, including cross-context behavioral advertising, as described in our Privacy Policy , (2) add to information that I provide with other information like interests inferred from web page views, or data lawfully obtained from data brokers, such as past purchase or location data, or publicly available data, (3) contact me or enable others to contact me by email or other means with offers for different types of goods and services, and (4) retain my information while I am engaging with marketing messages that I receive and for a reasonable amount of time thereafter. I understand I can opt out at any time through an email that I receive, or by clicking here

MINNEAPOLIS — A man confronted and assaulted one of several anti-ICE demonstrators outside a Twin Cities federal court building, according to a criminal complaint filed on Dec. 30.

Zak X, 36, of St. Cloud was charged in Hennepin County District Court with misdemeanor assault in connection with the attack on Dec. 27 outside the Henry Whipple Federal Building at Fort Snelling, where immigration court hearings are held.

X, who legally changed his name in 2024, was released from jail about 6 p.m. on Dec. 30 after posting bond. He’s due in court on Dec. 31. Court records do not list an attorney for him.

In the hours leading up to his arrival outside the Whipple Building, X posted on Facebook that “We’re going in on a dangerous mission today!”

Shortly after leaving jail, X returned to Facebook and claimed in one of several postings about his experience, “I was so scared. 5 or 6 in total of people attacking me. I really thought they would let me have my 1st amendment.”

Hennepin County Attorney Mary Moriarty said in a statement, “The defendant engaged in political violence, assaulting a protester whose views he disagreed with. This behavior has consequences, and we will hold him accountable. We are committed to protecting the right to nonviolent protest.”

The Whipple Building court, one of 70 handling a growing number of immigration proceedings across the country, has a backlog of roughly 60,000 cases and is often the site of protests.

In the midst of increased enforcement in Minnesota by Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), staff members there are increasingly barring government watchdogs, news reporters and the public at large from witnessing judges’ decisions about who can stay in the U.S. and who will be deported.

The small, windowless courtrooms on the first floor are often locked, preventing the public from witnessing hearings. Court staff also routinely redact the names from a calendar listing the dozens of immigrants scheduled to appear each day.

According the complaint:

Sheriff’s deputies spoke at the scene with a demonstrator who said he was the person attacked by X.

Law enforcement reviewed video of the encounter, and it “clearly depicts [X] approaching the victim from behind while the victim is facing away,” the complaint read. “[He] is observed balling his fist and delivering multiple uppercut punches to the victim in a blindside attack.”

The blows sent the demonstrator to the ground, having suffered injuries to his face.

Local freelance photographer Chris Juhn witnessed the altercation.

He was taking photos during the demonstration when X walked up, got in people’s faces and was looking to start a fight by feigning punches and kicks, Juhn said.

Eventually, a fight broke out, he said. At one point, X went back to his car, but became highly anxious about having lost his phone in the scuffle, Juhn said. He returned to the scene, and sheriff’s deputies arrested him.

____

Susan Du and Chris Magan of the Minnesota Star Tribune contributed to this story.