One Man's Warning to ICE Agents May Be the Most Symbolic Act of Democratic Backbone We've Seen in Years

[Amaryllis]

https://www.jackhopkinsnow.com/p/this-the-moment-a-police-chief-lit
THIS: The Moment A Police Chief Lit A Match Under American Democracy
Why One Man’s Warning to ICE Agents May Be the Most Symbolic Act of Democratic Backbone We’ve Seen in Years
Jack Hopkins
Dec 06, 2025

The Jack Hopkins Now Newsletter #679: Saturday, December 6th, 2025.
The Line in the Snow
Every once in a while, America gets a moment so small…

so subtle… so seemingly routine… that half the country misses it completely.
And the other half?

They feel it in their gut.
A shift.
A signal.
A spark.
That’s what happened when Minneapolis Police Chief Brian O’Hara walked up to a microphone…and said something you almost never hear from a modern law-enforcement commander:

“If ICE agents use unlawful force in this city, my officers must intervene. And if they don’t, they could lose their jobs.”

Let me translate that into plain, street-fighting English:

“This city does NOT belong to federal bullies.”

And friend…

This wasn’t just a warning.
It wasn’t just a press conference.
And it wasn’t just some polite statement about policy alignment.

snip

Because when a local police chief publicly draws a line against federal agents misusing force…

You are watching the American system, battered…bruised…limping…STILL remember how to stand up straight.

much more at link

[Walleye]

1. We need more of this from local police chiefs who are not poisoned with excessive amounts of testosterone or something

Unfortunately, often the police mentality seems to back up this kind of thuggish behavior

[House of Roberts]

3. It would be within the right of any law enforcement, either state or local,

to detain anyone in their jurisdiction in public, masked, and armed. No need for there to be action of any kind. That alone is a threat to the public and should be treated as such.

[hlthe2b]

5. A "Blue Wave Grifter?" Really?

You really need to explain because that comment could readily have come from a MAGA website...

What, exactly, has he done to be labeled a "blue wave grifter?"

[WhiskeyGrinder]

6. yes, there are such things

[hlthe2b]

7. You present no evidence or justification for a comment that could have just as easily come from MAGA

You owe it to the man you just libeled to justify your statement.

[bluestarone]

12. WTF?

What the hell are you saying?

[duhneece]

13. Who is the blue wave grifter you're referring to?

Please explain yourself.

[Attilatheblond]

16. Seriously?

Very sad to not realize there might just be good people in local police departments. Seems this man is actually working to clean up a department with some really bad history. Seems he is doing the work to restore the public's faith that local law enforcement is really there to Serve and Protect and he isn't going to tolerate any divergence from that goal.

[Midnight Writer]

4. People to this day are inspired by the people who stood up to the tanks in Tiananmen Square.

Nobody is inspired by the people who drove those tanks.

[Fiendish Thingy]

8. When cops actually start locking up ICE agents, then I'll celebrate. Nt

[Scruffy1]

21. Ditto

Talk is cheap. Action speaks louder than words,.

[popsdenver]

33. Trump is waiting for that level of

disobedience to throw out Posse Comatatus Act, and enable the Insurrection Act......

Damned if you do, damned if you don't............The Republicans have been orchestrating and organizing for just this occurring, for decades......

[OldBaldy1701E]

39. Well, sir...

Then, we had better be ready for that, eh?

Which is what is the most infuriating to me.

We most certainly are not ready.

Because it is coming. Either that orange gibbon will have a snit fit and do it because we must respect his 'authority', or Miller will wait until Orangina is just a drooling figurehead and get him to sign for it, probably with Kegstand right beside him.

Either way, this is not going to end like some think it is. Which is very upsetting.

[popsdenver]

42. I gotta tell you.....OB

most of the people I see, are just running around, going about their normal lives, not paying a lick of attention to anything except their little world, in their tiny microcosm bubble......and thinking all of this, will just blow over.......

For decades, they have all been walking down the jungle path...... swatting at mosquitoes, completely oblivious to the herd of charging elephants.....

(Pun Intended)

I am in constant concern about what is coming.......and, at the speed at which it is accelerating, AND the atrocious shit that is being done each and every day across the nation, and by the U.S. around the world...........

For Christ's sake,......Parking an AIRCRAFT CARRIER GROUP offshore of some sovereign country and ILLEGALLY DECLARING WAR, on their 20' boats, and blowing them up?????????????? And, as it has been reported....sending in SEAL TEAM SIX? to murder all unarmed survivors?????????

What is really disturbing is that there are 70+ Million MAGAot voters that think this is perfectly fine, and want more....

[OldBaldy1701E]

43. Yep.

As I said, I don't know what form this is going to take, but it is going to be a test of what this country really stands for.

And, I am very concerned that I am going to be correct in my assessment of what that is.

[popsdenver]

44. Thx OB, for bravely saying this......

and just to let you know, I am right there with you...................
Some of us have been watching all this coming on, and screaming our heads off, from the rooftops, since November 1980.....

[malaise]

9. Agree

Rec. Rec. Rec

[Historic NY]

10. We don't want bullies.

We don't want bullies. I'm waiting until one of the ICE clowns get squarely sucker punched and goes crying to Ice Barbie.

[StoolPigeon]

11. You mean like when one gets hit with a sandwich?

[Fil1957]

14. We need more of that from Police Chiefs around our country.

[Linda ladeewolf]

15. I'll wait and see on most of this.

I don’t know how all this crap happened in the world. I’m currently watching old stuff on my computer. I mean really old, Original dragnet episodes, Dragnet 67 episodes and Adam 12. Cops were trained differently. You have to train them like they used to be. I know those were idealized, but the whole point was that was how they were trained-to high ideals, standards way above what you have now. It seems like most of the problems started when they began to use more military ideals on a civilian population, which are as a rule undisciplined by nature. The answer is possibly more discipline among us. We may have to form our own groups or influence our law enforcement to become our protectors. There are more of them than the military and they are armed and have the authority ,or is this off base?

[Figarosmom]

38. Many of those old ones didnt follow

Civil rights laws either. They would break into peoes houses when they weren't home and search them
They would search your car or body w/o cause. I don't know how many times I'd yell at the TV that they couldn't do what they were doing.

[Linda ladeewolf]

41. I know, I do too. Yell that is. They were representing reality.

That doesn’t mean they approved of it, just that is what it was with the contrast of what it was supposed to be. I think in a way the police have always been heavy handed, for a while due to scrutiny they had to lay off it, but now they get a pat on the back. And it’s much worse, though I can see that some departments are trying to back off just to save their own arses.

[IronLionZion]

17. ICE/CBP break laws all the time

they don't even identify themselves as law enforcement, show badges, show warrants for arrest, read people their Miranda rights, etc. They break traffic laws all the time when ramming their vehicles into people's cars. They even wound and abuse people handcuffed in their custody.

MAGA enjoyed the 2020 police brutality against protesters so much they decided to ramp it up exponentially. They hide their faces to avoid any legal liability in future.

America doesn't need a masked armed paramilitary force with a budget larger than the entire Russian military. We've seen this kind of stuff in Germany, North Korea, China, Soviet Union, Middle East, Northern Ireland, etc. with disastrous results. It's disgusting to see it here.

[Martin Eden]

18. There will be blood

Unless ICE takes Chief O'Hara seriously, and takes action to ensure their "agents&quot a.k.a. thugs) conform to civil law.

[sop]

19. The only identification most of these masked, armed goons wear is "POLICE" on their tactical vests.

They're not police. Arrest them for impersonating police officers.

[PCIntern]

20. And it makes sense politically...

Long after these discount-SS/Brownshirts are gone, the police force still has to function and be perceived as “reasonable”

[TommieMommy]

22. Wow 😁

[Mysterian]

23. Meanwhile, House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries praised Trump's immigration policies

What an amazing disconnect.

[Amaryllis]

25. He did? When? Where? What is your source?

[Mysterian]

29. Read and weep

https://www.democraticunderground.com/100220845027

[Amaryllis]

35. Thanks. Bummer.

[orangecrush]

36. Trump made it clear his entire campaign

That he intended to engage in both physical and institutional violence against his perceived enemies, which are composed of a very large percentage of the American populace.

The utter lack of preparedness of those we elected to uphold and preserve the constitution is the political equivalent of criminal negligence.

[Amaryllis]

40. The Dem attorneys general began preparing before the election and have been very prepared and very

active, meeting daily on video chat. Our Oregon AG had a lawsuit ready to go the same day Trump ordered NG into Portland.

[DFW]

24. If it were a motorcycle gang or a group of drug cartel youth looking to some action, terrorizing a city

People would be clamoring for law enforcement to come out in force, guns drawn, and help them, yelling, "what are you guys there for, anyway? What part of PROTECT did you not understand?"

So a bunch of masked thugs with no ID randomly terrorizing people, kidnapping some, injuring others--these criminals are somehow deserving of better treatment? It should be the same tactic: in force with guns drawn. Let them establish--IF THEY CAN--who they are, whose orders they are following, and some official documentation to back up their claim. If they have none, pack them in crowded city jail cells until they can justify more civil treatment. If they pull their own firearms and produce no legal justification for doing so, respond with whatever force necessary to bring about compliance. Tell them SWAT said "hi."

[Girard442]

28. When they go after white people...

[flvegan]

26. LOL, whatever. Someone wake me up when it actually happens. n/t

[Shoeless Louis]

27. Excellent report !! TY! nt

[Bayard]

30. I suspect the Chief has been chatting with the Governor,

And they came up with this statement and challenge. trump will lose his mind and send troops. What happens then?

I think there's some safety in numbers though. The more cities that make this proclamation, the better.

[Amaryllis]

31. Thinking the same. CAn't imagine the gov was not involved.

[MorbidButterflyTat]

32. Minneapolis Police Chief Brian O'Hara

is a Democrat?

Couldn't support the chief without slamming the entire Dem party, "for years."

[undergrounddemsunite]

34. Stand up for our fellow American neighbors!

We need to stand up for each other! Tyranny is growing in America 2025 and will get worse in 2026!

[Upthevibe]

37. Kick. N/T