Photo: Screenshot from the Chinese Consulate-General in Chicago

The Chinese Consulate-General in Chicago on Saturday issued a reminder urging Chinese nationals in Minnesota to strengthen safety precautions, according to a statement released on the consulate's website. 

According to the statement, law enforcement operations are ongoing in multiple areas of Minnesota. The Chinese Consulate-General in Chicago reminded Chinese nationals in the state to pay close attention to official announcements and media reports, carry valid identification, raise safety awareness, and strengthen personal security measures.

The consulate also advised Chinese nationals to avoid assembly sites, areas with large crowds, locations with poor public security, and to refrain from traveling alone or at night. 

Twelve people were arrested Thursday night during demonstrations over Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) operations in Minneapolis, the largest city in the US state of Minnesota, the Xinhua News Agency reported on Friday citing local authorities.

The demonstrations follow a series of incidents involving federal ICE agents in the state. On January 7, an ICE agent fatally shot Renee Good, a 37-year-old mother, triggering nationwide protests. On Wednesday, an ICE agent shot a Venezuelan national in the leg after "being ambushed and attacked" by two other people and the immigrant they were trying to arrest, according to the US Department of Homeland Security (DHS), Xinhua reported. 

Protests intensified following the second ICE-related shooting in about a week. DHS confirmed on X that ICE agents have carried out more than 2,500 arrests in Minnesota over the past five weeks. Around 3,000 federal officers have reportedly been deployed to the state in recent weeks, according to Xinhua.

Global Times