A Minneapolis educator filed a complaint against the federal government on Tuesday, alleging that then-Border Patrol Commander Greg Bovino and other agents assaulted and wrongfully arrested him outside the school he works at during this winter’s ICE surge.

Quentin Williams, whose students call him “Mr. Q,” was one of the people arrested on Jan. 7 during a clash outside of Roosevelt High School, the same day Renee Good was shot and killed by an agent in south Minneapolis. Videos of the confrontation circulated widely, showing agents shoving and using pepper spray on the crowd of staff and students at the tail end of their school day.

In the filing — a Federal Tort Claims Act complaint — Williams says he was shoved and arrested for no reason as he stood nearby a fellow educator who was tackled by agents. The complaint is not a lawsuit, but it will allow Williams to sue if the government does not respond to the allegations within six months.

Jessica Gingold, Williams’ attorney at the MacArthur Justice Center, said the complaint represents one of many examples of federal agents storming into the lives of ordinary Minnesotans before making a wrongful arrest during Operation Metro Surge.

“What is the message that’s sent when armed agents come on school grounds, in front of students, and arrest their teacher for standing there?” Gingold said.

Asked for comment, the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) did not address the specifics of Williams’ case or complaint, but it said “anyone who obstructs federal law enforcement is committing a federal crime.”

According to the complaint, the agents were in the area just before 3:30 p.m. because of a collision between one of their vehicles and another driver, who they then arrested outside of the school.

Instead of leaving after the driver was taken into custody, the agents and Bovino encroached further onto the school’s property, the complaint says. Williams was in the back of the school helping special education students get to transportation, when he walked to the front and saw the agents pushing and allegedly taunting the staff.

Border Patrol agent Joshua McBee “doubled back” and began “forcefully shoving” Williams and two other staff members.

Another agent, Christopher Velez, then ran onto the lawn and shoved one of Williams’ colleagues, which led to the agent slipping on the snow onto his back, the complaint says.

Williams “did not take any action; he had only turned to look” at his co-worker on the ground next to him, when Bovino ran over and shoved Williams. Videos showed Williams with his hands in the air to show he wasn’t interfering before Bovino pushed him.

Velez tackled Williams before the agent put his hands on Williams’ neck, which led to him gasping and indicating he couldn’t breathe, the filing says. During the arrest, some of Williams’ dreadlocks were allegedly ripped out of his head.

Pam Bondi, then-U.S. Attorney General, posted a photo of Williams in jail the day of his arrest. The posts alleged Williams was one of “16 Minnesota rioters” arrested for “assaulting federal law enforcement.”

He was charged with assault of a border patrol agent, but the case unraveled in the following months. The felony charge was reduced to a misdemeanor on Feb. 4, before prosecutors moved to dismiss the case in late March.

Gingold noted she believes race factored into the agents’ actions that day, saying that “the people who were thrown to the ground, choked, and arrested were people of color” including Williams, who is Black.

By taking legal action, Gingold said she wants the government to take down the photos of Williams and alleged false accusations that have remained online.

“I think most U.S. citizens, people who are going about their day on their job, just don’t expect the federal agents to rip them out of their life like that, and then spew lies about them on the internet,” Gingold said.

The incident caused lasting trauma for Williams, he said in a statement, adding that he’s “just so blessed to be alive.”

“I hope this next step in seeking justice will hold someone accountable for what happened to me,” Williams said.

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