A Minnesota activist, Nekima Levy Armstrong, who was arrested during an anti-Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) protest at a church, released a video of her arrest on Friday following the White House’s controversial post of a manipulated image of her. The White House shared an altered photo depicting her in distress while being taken into custody, branding her as a “far-left agitator” accused of instigating riots.
The incident unfolded during a protest that targeted an ICE official who serves as a pastor at the church, disrupting a service to address immigration enforcement. Levy Armstrong, along with two other protesters, was detained on Thursday and subsequently released on Friday, as confirmed by her organization, the Racial Justice Network.
In the video captured by her husband, Marques Armstrong, Levy Armstrong is seen being approached by federal agents. In a calm demeanor, she urges the agents to treat her with dignity and respect. At one point, while being handcuffed, she rebukes the agents for filming her arrest, claiming it could create a misleading narrative. However, the agents maintain that their recording is not intended for public dissemination.
Throughout the over seven-minute video, Levy Armstrong remains composed, asserting that her arrest represents an abuse of power and voicing her commitment to speaking out against ICE’s brutality. “I refuse to be silent in the face of brutality from ICE,” she stated during the arrest.
In a subsequent audio message shared by her spokesperson, Levy Armstrong condemned the use of manipulated imagery by the Trump administration, labeling it as politically motivated persecution in response to her activism against authoritarianism and fascism.
This incident illustrates the tensions surrounding immigration enforcement in the U.S. and highlights the broader implications for civil rights activism, raising concerns about the portrayal of activists and the narratives surrounding their actions. As the discourse around immigration policy continues to evolve, instances like this emphasize the significance of transparency and the power of grassroots movements in advocating for justice.