The ongoing operations from Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents, border patrol and other federal officials in Minnesota is now taking a toll on events in the the Twin Cities.
There have been numerous cancellations of planned events, some of which are listed here:
LUNAR NEW YEAR: The upcoming Lunar New Year celebration at Minneapolis' Midtown Global Market is the latest large event to cancel plans amid the unrest in the city. In a significantly Hispanic and immigrant area of Minneapolis, the Lunar New Year event was scheduled for Saturday, January 31 from noon to 3 p.m. That is now postponed and there is currently no make-up date.
"As Lake Street and other communities across Minnesota face challenges, this did not feel like the right time to celebrate," announced their PR firm, Nemer Fieger.
RED BULL SNOWBOARD COMPETITION: That follows a Thursday announcement from Red Bull that they had called off the annual Heavy Metal Street Snowboarding competition in St. Paul that was to have started this Saturday, January 16. No official reason was given, but event producer Pat Morgan posted on X:
"All my years of producing events, I’ve never had to cancel one due to civil unrest - maybe next time, Minnesota."
MINNEAPOLIS YOUTH EVENTS: Just in, the Minneapolis Park Board has cancelled all youth athletic games and practices Friday through Sunday.
"We are cancelling out of an abundance of caution for youth athletic families, officials and MPRB staff," they said in an announcement. We will reevaluate on Sunday evening and share an update early next week."
COMEDIAN CANCELS SHOWS: Over last weekend, comedian John Mullaney pulled out of three shows planned for the Armory in downtown Minneapolis.
“What is happening in your city is heartbreaking,” he wrote on Instagram. “I hate to postpone shows in a town going through such awful challenges and such grief, because it feels unfair to the audience. Still, I don’t feel comfortable asking thousands of people each night to leave their homes, gather at the venue, and then make their way home when the situation is so unsafe.”
Mulaney said the shows have been rescheduled for April 10-12, and tickets for this weekend will be honored on those respective days.
There have also been numerous businesses, especially restaurants, either closing temporarily or reducing hours due to issues with staffing. There are just too many to list here, so check before you go.
At the same time, Minneapolis leaders want you to know the city's doors are still open.
Many businesses are currently suffering from the presence of ICE because people are afraid to leave their homes.
But Erik Hanson, Director of Community Planning and Economic Development released a video encouraging people to support local establishments.
"All of us are making our own decisions about when and where we go as federal officers are in the Twin Cities and beyond," says Hanson. "We also want to support our restaurants, our dry cleaners, pharmacies, and all the businesses that keep our city moving. If we stop living our lives, stop supporting what makes our city so great, then ICE wins."
Hanson wants everyone to know the city is full of energy and love for each other and anyone who visits.
"We know there's a lot going on in Minneapolis right now," Hanson added. "There's understandable fear, uncertainty, and the ringing of rallying voices, but know this: the city is still in business."
Local businesses feeling the effect of ICE activities
Adam Duininck is the president and CEO of the Minneapolis Downtown Council, and he says all of the ICE activity in the Twin Cities is having a direct effect on local businesses.
"We hear a lot about hospitality and restaurants for certain, but it's impacting a lot of industries already," says Duininck. "And I think there's a significant concern about the longer term impacts to our city."
In downtown Minneapolis, Duininck says they're starting to notice less traffic.
"We're seeing a little bit of a dip in the appearances in the office, and we're seeing skyways and some of the restaurants not be open," he adds. "It's sporadic. It's anecdotal at this point."