On Monday, award-winning comedian Dave Chappelle visited Alex Pretti’s memorial site in south Minneapolis and laid flowers in memory of the deceased 37-year-old.
Per KARE11, Chappelle, 52, passed by Pretti’s memorial site hours before he took the stage for his show at the Grand Casino Arena. In a video, Chappelle is seen holding a bouquet and placing it among other flowers at the memorial site.
For weeks, tensions flared between anti-ICE protesters in Minneapolis and ICE agents after President Donald Trump deployed the federal agents to the city. The protests spread to many other states, particularly after ICE agents fatally shot Minneapolis residents Renee Nicole Good and Alex Pretti. Good was gunned down on January 7, while Pretti was fatally shot on January 24.
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Per the Grand Casino Arena’s website, Chappelle was in the Twin Cities to “stand with a community at the center of events that should unite all Americans in defense of civil rights, human dignity, and the principles we claim to hold sacred.”
The Grand Casino Arena added: “Chappelle’s decision to perform in Minnesota exemplifies his decades-long commitment to showing up for communities in crisis and using comedy as a force for connection and solidarity. His presence represents more than entertainment; it’s a statement of respect, unity, and unwavering support for the region’s residents. The people of Minneapolis and Saint Paul have stood up with remarkable courage and resilience, demanding accountability and justice in the face of extraordinary circumstances.”
As previously reported by Face2Face Africa, the current political climate in the United States is undoubtedly tense, particularly after President Trump deployed thousands of ICE agents to several states to enforce his aggressive anti-immigration policies.
Trump’s actions have been criticized by several politicians and celebrities, though a section of his supporters and officials in his administration have openly backed him. Some Trump administration officials have even described the anti-ICE protesters as “domestic terrorists.”
