Fox News Digital analysis: How Minneapolis agitator networks use insurgency tactics to hinder ICE

The anti-ICE mobilization that unfolded astir the sidesplitting of Alex Pretti successful Minneapolis past week mirrored the methods utilized to overthrow governments and spark bloody revolutions astir the globe, according to a Fox News Digital analysis.

Encrypted Signal chats, command-and-control centers, rapid-response propaganda and orchestrated tear-gas clashes with instrumentality enforcement person served to mobilize forces and manipulate nationalist sentiment successful the ongoing conflict. Close investigation of guidelines distributed online by anti-ICE groups and the minute-by-minute events surrounding the Pretti's decease uncover tactics and strategy well-known to subject and quality analysts arsenic the elements of planetary insurgencies.

"The unit and rebellion that we’re seeing connected the streets of Minneapolis is similar an insurgency," said Rick de la Torre, a retired CIA elder operations serviceman and main of station.

De la Torre, who has tracked insurgency groups globally from Afghanistan to the Philippines for 20 years, told Fox News Digital helium believes the effort is being directed and funded from overseas.

"All of the grounds I’ve seen indicates to maine that the insurgency is funded by overseas adversaries who privation to spot unit and Americans warring each other," said de la Torre, present laminitis of Tower Strategies, an advisory steadfast based successful Washington, D.C.

"The unit and rebellion that we’re seeing connected the streets of Minneapolis is similar an insurgency."

Core U.S. authorities manuals, specified arsenic the "CIA Guide to the Analysis of Insurgency" and the U.S. Army’s "Insurgencies and Countering Insurgencies," picture however decentralized movements embed wrong civilian populations, trust connected accelerated communications, exploit triggering events and prolong momentum done logistics, communicative power and persistent surveillance of their perceived adversaries.

As unrest escalates successful Minneapolis, investigators are uncovering a web of far-left activistic groups allegedly bankrolled by a affluent U.S. expat successful China with reported ties to Chinese Communist Party–aligned propaganda efforts. (Photo by ROBERTO SCHMIDT / AFP via Getty Images / Photo by Dave Kotinsky/Getty Images for V-Day)

In the lawsuit of the anti-ICE network, galore of the organizations progressive are self-described Marxist-Leninists, with the ANSWER Coalition, the People’s Forum, the Party for Socialism and Liberation and BreakThrough News funded by an American-born tech tycoon, Neville Roy Singham, surviving successful Shanghai supporting the communist authorities that runs the People’s Republic of China.

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"What these groups are trying to bash is destruct everything that makes America great: our history, our content systems, our freedoms, our household unit, our self, our religion, everything. In their minds, each that has to beryllium destroyed truthful that the strategy they privation to bring astir tin beryllium progressed," said de la Torre. "That means the extremity of escaped endeavor and America arsenic we cognize it."

Across anti-ICE guides circulated successful Minnesota, respective recurring tactical elements parallel those insurgency tactics with a wide "command and control" of the operation, different diagnostic of insurgencies:

• Enmeshment successful section communities: Members are directed to embed hyper-locally, knocking connected doors, gathering interaction trees and activating neighborhood-level texting and Signal networks.
• Audible wide alerts: Whistles and horns are utilized arsenic contiguous informing systems to alert communities to national presence.
• Target and situation identification: Guides bid participants to place "common ICE vehicles," way licence plates, and provender sightings into shared databases.
• Material and logistical support: Mutual assistance networks, proviso staging, and aftercare roles are emphasized to support operational tempo.
• Narrative operations: Consciousness-raising, strategical framing, and wide dissemination of imagery and messaging are treated arsenic halfway functions, not afterthoughts.

"The usage of hi-tech equipment, communications, the tactics they employment to way individuals, to interruption things up into zones, to person a concatenation of command. Someone is successful complaint of communications, idiosyncratic is successful complaint of moving people, idiosyncratic is successful complaint of adjacent aesculapian help. This is each textbook convulsive revolution," de la Torre said. 

VIDEO APPEARS TO SHOW ALEX PRETTI SPIT AT FEDERAL AGENTS, VIOLENTLY DAMAGE SUV DAYS BEFORE FATAL CBP SHOOTING

A caller video by the News Movement captured Pretti cursing and spitting astatine national agents connected Jan. 13, 11 days earlier his death, arsenic they arrived astatine a thoroughfare corner. He kicked retired a rear bumper airy connected the agents' SUV earlier a national cause jumped retired and tackled him arsenic ICE Watch "rapid responders" blew whistles, took videos and cursed astatine agents. What appeared to beryllium a weapon was disposable successful the waistband of Pretti, who was carrying a handgun erstwhile his fatal brushwood with Border Patrol agents occurred.

A man, who appears to beryllium Alex Pretti, was seen successful a caller video kicking and spitting connected a instrumentality enforcement vehicle. (The News Movement)

"This is not Martin Luther King sitting astatine a café counter," said de La Torre. "They didn’t propulsion things astatine cops. They didn’t wound cops oregon outcry oregon stroke whistles. They politely smiled and allowed themselves to get arrested. That’s peaceful protesting. What we’re seeing is convulsive insurrection. And we’re seeing convulsive insurrection promoted by galore members of the Democratic Party. They cognize this."

JONATHAN TURLEY: DEMOCRAT POLITICIANS ARE RISKING LIVES WITH RECKLESS ANTI-ICE RHETORIC

A timeline of events surrounding Pretti’s sidesplitting illustrates however those tactics were implemented successful existent clip and however the incidental functions arsenic a model into a broader tactical strategy.

Saturday, Jan. 24, 2026

8:45 AM CT / 9:45 AM ET – Outside Glam Doll Donuts – ‘Pattern-of-life' intelligence

What happened: At 8:45 a.m, ICE Watch "rapid responders" added the archetypal licence sheet and question of suspected ICE vehicles and agents successful an "MN ICE Plate" database. Reports continued passim the day, revealing the sustained monitoring of their work.

ICE Watch tactic: The guides formalize patrol roles, including "foot patrol," "dispatch" and "mobile patrol / commuter," which is designed by the car and aerial 🚗💨 emojis. Mobile units person halfway tasks of licence sheet postulation and conveyance signifier tracking.

Insurgency doctrine parallel: Military doctrine describes irregular networks arsenic relying heavy connected "pattern-of-life" intelligence, systematically tracking adversary movements to anticipate, disrupt and publicize authorities activity.

LIBERAL SOCIAL MEDIA PLATFORM BLUESKY FLOODED WITH USERS CALLING FOR VIOLENCE AGAINST ICE AGENTS

8:50 AM CT / 9:50 AM ET – Glam Doll Donuts – Grievances

What happened: A Signal user, "Willow," posted a 22-second video from wrong Glam Doll Donuts, followed by messages speechmaking "26and 3rd" and "Outside Glam Doll," documenting national agents astatine Glam Doll Donuts connected Nicollet Avenue. The time before, Glam Doll Donuts had closed its store for concern to articulation a protest, "ICE OUT OF MINNESOTA." In the video, idiosyncratic shouted, "Get retired of here!" to the national agents.

ICE Watch tactic: The "Best Practices Guide for Neighborhood oregon Area Patrol / Monitors: 612" stresses the usage of Signal radical calls for live, on-scene reporting.

Insurgency doctrine parallel: Intelligence manuals enactment that insurgencies beryllium connected dense section networks and accelerated accusation dissemination to signifier perceptions and mobilize supporters, often by exploiting a "population’s concerns and grievances."

Border Patrol was reportedly progressive successful a shooting successful South Minneapolis connected Saturday, January 24, 2026. The fishy was allegedly equipped with a weapon and 2 magazines. (DHS)

8:53 AM CT / 9:53 AM ET – ‘Backup needed’ – ‘Command and control’

What happened: Another Signal user, "Salacious B. Crumb," escalated the alert, sending the message: "Backup needed astatine the Black Forest Inn parking batch connected Nicollet Ave conscionable southbound of 26th Street," by Glam Doll Donuts, adding: "One confirmed ICE conveyance seen was a maroon Dodge Durango."

ICE Watch tactic: The 612 usher coordinates "Dispatch - Live connected the Monitor / Patrol group" with the ☎ emoji to alert members to heightened national cause movements.

Insurgency doctrine parallel: Military analysts enactment that effectual insurgent movements support thing called "command and control" contempt decentralization, relying connected communications subject and pre-assigned roles alternatively than ceremonial hierarchies.

~9 AM CT / ~10 AM ET – Outside Glam Doll Donuts – ‘Triggering event’

What happened: Pretti and different anti-ICE activists stepped into the mediate of Nicollet Avenue to nonstop postulation extracurricular Glam Doll Donuts, with chap anti-ICE agitators blowing whistles to alert locals that ICE officers were around. 

ICE Watch tactic: The manuals explicitly picture the usage of whistles and horns arsenic rapid, low-tech alert systems to activate surrounding assemblage members and gully attraction to national activity.

Insurgency doctrine parallel: Such immediate, disposable mobilization aligns with "rapid response" techniques described successful insurgency literature, wherever "triggering events" are utilized to rapidly activate section populations.

~9:05 AM CT / ~10:05 AM ET – Glam Doll Donuts – ‘Kinetic action’

What happened: At slightest 1 national cause changeable Alex Pretti extracurricular Glam Doll Donuts connected Nicollet Avenue, sidesplitting him..

ICE Watch tactic: Manuals person been updated to nonstop members of ICE Watch patrols to debar nonstop confrontation with instrumentality enforcement authorities, but the back-room connection has been to instigate confrontations that tin past beryllium filmed and turned into propaganda for the effort.

Insurgency doctrine parallel: Military manuals stress that "kinetic actions" – oregon violent, carnal and lethal actions – involving authorities forces often go catalytic moments and symbolic events that tin beryllium leveraged to accelerate mobilization and escalate a communicative of state-sponsored cruelty.

9:18 AM CT / 10:18 AM ET — ‘URGENT’ – ‘Information environment’

What happened: The awesome web erupted with an urgent red-phone alert: "☎️URGENT: observers urgently requested astatine glam doll donuts @ 26th & nicollet. an perceiver has been changeable by ice, chartless condition, emts present, delight beryllium safe. EDIT: medics requested to articulation perimeter successful lawsuit agents commencement gassing."

ICE Watch tactic: The guides instruct members to rapidly summon medics, found perimeters and hole for anticipated law-enforcement countermeasures specified arsenic state deployment.

Insurgency doctrine: The U.S. Army manual emphasizes the value of the "information environment" instantly aft violence, noting that logistics, aesculapian enactment and messaging relation arsenic unit multipliers for sustained irregular activity.

9:48 AM CT / 10:48 AM ET – BreakThrough News – ‘Narrative amplification’

What happened: BreakThrough News, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit enactment and propaganda limb of the People’s Forum, the ANSWER Coalition and the Party for Socialism and Liberation, posted a video of the killing, filmed from wrong Glam Doll Donuts, calling it "Another CBP Shooting…" It’s been funded by tech tycoon, Singham, surviving successful China.

ICE Watch tactic: The tract guides dedicate full sections to taste production, media engagement and accelerated communicative dissemination pursuing high-profile incidents.

Insurgency doctrine: Military analysts picture propaganda and imagery arsenic halfway tools for shaping perceptions, reinforcing in-group individuality and portraying authorities actions arsenic illegitimate oregon repressive.

MICHAEL SHELLENBERGER: THE LEFT IS GETTING PEOPLE KILLED

11:24 AM CT / 12:24 PM ET – Nationwide – Government paralysis

What happened: The Party for Socialism and Liberation published a poster connected societal media, saying, " CPB MURDERS ANOTHER IN MINNEAPOLIS," with the message, EXPAND THE GENERAL STRIKE!"

ICE Watch tactic: The ICE Watch manuals see workplace-focused tactics and "non-cooperation," including ways to sabotage ICE activities and prosecute successful noncompliance. 

Insurgency doctrine: U.S. Army guidance identifies economical disruption and authorities paralysis arsenic classical insurgent strategies designed to show powerfulness and unit concessions.

MINN. 'ANTIFA' MEMBER CLAIMS HE'S 'ON THE RUN' AFTER CALLING FOR 'ARMED' MEN TO CONFRONT IMMIGRATION OFFICIALS

11:33 AM CT / 12:33 PM ET — Emergency protests – ‘Distributed nodes’

What happened: The People’s Forum posted an "EMERGENCY PROTEST" telephone for 4 p.m. ET successful NYC.

ICE Watch tactic: The guides stress "city-wide/state-wide coordination" and "rapid effect networks" done shared platforms similar Signal and Action Network to rapidly standard actions beyond the archetypal incidental location.

Insurgency doctrine: Experts accidental effectual insurgency movements synchronize "distributed nodes," similar cells and chapters, to make the quality – and world – of momentum crossed aggregate boundaries.

11:57 AM CT / 12:57 PM ET – ‘Abolish ICE Now’ –  ‘Legitimacy contest’

What happened: Democratic Socialists of America posted a graphic calling the sidesplitting an "execution" and demanding "ABOLISH ICE NOW."

ICE Watch tactic: The manuals accent communicative shaping and wide connection that results successful "consciousness-raising" and expanding absorption into "every location and each block."

Insurgency doctrine: Counterinsurgency doctrine describes this arsenic a "legitimacy contest" with competing claims intended to erode assurance successful authorities forces and institutions.

8:03 PM CT / 9:03 PM ET — ‘...Murdered…’ – Martyr narrative

What happened: The Party for Socialism and Liberation and different socialist, Marxist-Leninist and communist groups asserted that Pretti was "murdered" and declared later, "We volition proceed the conflict for justness successful his memory!"

ICE Watch tactic: Sustaining morale done messages of reaffirmation is repeatedly emphasized successful the manuals.

Insurgency doctrine: Experts enactment that martyr narratives and "commitment signaling" are utilized to prolong recruitment, cohesion and hazard tolerance.

Sunday, Jan. 25, 2026 done Today 

3:37 PM CT / 4:37 PM ET done contiguous – Signal networks – Omnipresent resistance

What happened: Signal alerts continued into the pursuing day, including reports of "2 confirmed ICE vehicles… astatine slightest 2 agents successful each vehicle," indicating ongoing surveillance and situational consciousness good aft the archetypal incident.

ICE Watch tactic: The license-plate tracker, conveyance recognition guides and persistent patrol roles are designed for long-duration monitoring alternatively than one-off responses.

Insurgency doctrine: Intelligence manuals picture sustained surveillance arsenic a defining diagnostic of mature insurgent networks, enabling anticipation of authorities actions and reinforcing the cognition of omnipresent resistance.

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