Minneapolis indictment charges 15 in alleged Antifa conspiracy

US federal authorities on Tuesday unsealed an indictment charging 15 individuals associated with far-left group Antifa for orchestrating a violent conspiracy to impede law enforcement officers.

The charges include conspiracy to injure an officer, solicitation to commit a crime of violence, interstate stalking, and destruction of government property.

“These defendants have been charged not for what they said, but for what they did,” US Attorney Dan Rosen said, suggesting that the group intended to interfere with federal mandates not by their voice, but by force.

Rosen noted that 12 of the defendants were apprehended during early morning operations.

The indictment targets members of "Direct Action Minnesota" and the "Black Hat Workers Collective," who allegedly exploited lawful protests to target Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) operations.

Prosecutors assert that during incidents in January and March 2026, the groups established "hard and soft blockades" around the Whipple Federal Building. They reportedly utilized overturned RV trailers, homemade shields, and ice blocks to physically assault officers and obstruct access to the facility.

'Zero-tolerance' policy

Rosen detailed that the defendants also engaged in "commuting tactics," which involved following federal agents from their workplace to their private residences. One defendant reportedly followed officers across state lines into Wisconsin.

Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) Special Agent in Charge Michael McCarthy emphasized that while peaceful protest remains a protected right, the transition into criminal activity will not be tolerated.

“When protest turns into rioting, violence, or criminal activity, it becomes unlawful,” McCarthy said, vowing a zero-tolerance policy for those who undermine the law through intimidation.

The Trump administration’s approach to Antifa has been to treat it as a major domestic security threat and to use counterterrorism-style tools against it. US designated Antifa as a domestic terrorist organization in September.