John Abernathy

@john-abernathy.bsky.social

Independent Documentary Photographer Bearing witness without permission. No badge. No distance. 📍Minneapolis https://linktr.ee/john_abernathy_

February 14 is Missing and Murdered Indigenous Relatives (MMIR) Remembrance Day. Community members gathered in Minneapolis to honor these relatives and bring attention to the ongoing crisis of violence and unresolved cases affecting Indigenous communities. 2.15.2026 📍 Minneapolis

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Minnesotans, of all ages and backgrounds, protest outside of the Governor’s Mansion in St. Paul demanding justice for Renee Good and Alex Pretti. Letting Walz know “MN won’t sell out for ICE”. 1/2 2.6.2026 📍St. Paul

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Drum protest in downtown Minneapolis organized by the Twin Cities Drum Collective. Another form of resistance as people continue to protest ICE and federal enforcement in the city. 1/2 2.2.2026 📍Minneapolis

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Scenes outside of the Whipple Federal building in Minneapolis. Originally designed for short-term holding, detainee and U.S. representative reports indicate that cells have become heavily overcrowded, “horrifying”, and “inhumane”. 1.30.2026 📍Minneapolis

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January 31 in the streets of Minneapolis. One week since Alex Pretti was k*lled by federal agents and thousands gathered across the city. March at Bryant Square. Peaceful sit-in at Target downtown demanding accountability. Growing memorial at the site of the shooting. 1.31.2026 📍 Minneapolis

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Tens of thousands of people marched through Minneapolis in the second general strike. Protesters braved sub-zero cold and extended walkouts to demand ICE be held accountable and removed from Minnesota. Demonstrations and shutdowns took place in multiple cities nationwide. 1.30.2026 📍Minneapolis

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After the anti-ICE rally at the Minnesota State Capitol organized by CAIR, organizers gathered to pray and share a meal at a local Somali restaurant. When the crowds leave, the work continues. Minnesotans are still here, still organizing, still pushing forward to get ICE out. 1.27.2026 📍St. Paul

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Near 26th & Nicollet, clashes erupted following the k*lling of Alex Jeffrey Pretti involving federal agents. Tear gas and other non-lethal munitions were deployed. People were detained as smoke filled the streets. 1/2 1.24.2026 📍South Minneapolis

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Federal agents deployed military-grade hexachloroethane smoke on civilians near 26th and Nicollet in south Minneapolis today. HC is a military smoke agent, distinct designed for war. This occurred just hours after Alex Pretti was m*rdered by ICE agents nearby. 1.24.2026 📍 South Minneapolis

Federal agents in tactical gear advance through green chemical smoke as a protester lies on the ground between parked cars on a residential street in South Minneapolis.Civilians walk through lingering smoke along a snowy alleyway as the chemical haze fills the air in South Minneapolis.A line of federal agents moves forward while thick green & white gas disperses across the pavement, partially obscuring protesters and nearby vehicles. A civilian lies on the ground in front of them.

Nekima Levy Armstrong, Chauntyll Allen, Monique Doty, and Will Kelly were arrested by federal authorities today for the Cities Church protest. The Pastor, David Easterwood is also serving as an ICE field office director. No one has been released. 1.22.26 📍St. Paul

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1/2 January 15 outside the Whipple Federal Building. The photos leading up to when I was detained. Non-lethal munitions were fired and tear-gas deployed. People were shoved, tackled, and pepper sprayed. Right-wing agitators were also present, largely left untouched. 1.15.2026 📍Minneapolis

A clash of anti-ICE protestors and border patrol police Right-wing agitators raise the American flag and use a megaphone to provoke protestors U.S Customs and Border patrol police stand their grown as they face off protestors

The symbol stays the same. The context does not. These are the photos leading up to when I was detained on January 15th. Protests continued as ICE activity brought people outside of Whipple Federal Building. Demonstrators gathered while agents forced their way in the crowd as tensions escalated.

Man known as @dawokefarmer raises the American flag upside down while standing infront of a line of border patrol police. Two right-wing agitators both hold the American flag, attempting to rile the crowd. The American flag flies above signs reading “Inflict Chaos Everywhere” and “Trump is a Traitor”. Protestors and agents stand off as the American flag remains upside down.

1/2 An attempted anti-Islam march led by far-right figure Jake Lang was shut down by community opposition at City Hall. Minneapolis SWAT threatened dispersal, then left without action. Minneapolis · 1.17.2026

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Be nice. Boy ain’t it nice. Be nice. Take my advice. If you’re in control and have priorities, come with me and hunt down authorities. Be nice. (With your camera). Taken from Jessy Wells, but changed to meet my needs.

Photo by Pierre Lavie. Yes this is me. And I threw my Leica. It landed on the bass plate with hardly a scratch. Another Photographer grabbed it along with my phone and I was able to track him later. I was held face down tear gas deployed right in front of me and pepper sprayed directly into the eye.

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