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Soldiers are on standby for possible deployment to Minneapolis, a US defence official has told CBS News, the BBC’s US partner. <\/p>\n
The official said the 1,500 soldiers, currently in Alaska, are an option for the US president if he decided to use active duty military personnel, as anti-Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) demonstrations continued in the city on Saturday.<\/p>\n
No decision has yet been made on whether to deploy the soldiers from Alaska, the official said.<\/p>\n
Minnesota officials have urged protesters to stay orderly and peaceful during demonstrations after an ICE agent shot dead US citizen Renee Good earlier this month. <\/p>\n<\/div>\n
The soldiers are part of the 11th Airborne Division in Fort Wainwright, the official added.<\/p>\n
It comes as a US federal judge issued an order limiting the crowd control tactics that can used by ICE agents towards “peaceful and unobstructive” protesters in Minneapolis.<\/p>\n
Judge Katherine Menendez earlier ruled that federal agents cannot arrest or pepper spray peaceful demonstrations, including those monitoring or observing ICE agents. <\/p>\n
The state’s National Guard has been mobilised and placed on alert by Governor Tim Walz, and other law enforcement officers were deployed to Minneapolis ahead of the anti-ICE demonstrations.<\/p>\n
Recent protests in the city were sparked by widespread action by ICE in the city, and follow Good’s death on 7 January.<\/p>\n
City leaders said Good was there as a legal observer of ICE activity.<\/p>\n
But the Trump administration has called her a “domestic terrorist”.<\/p>\n
Good’s death sparked protests across the country, with many people holding signs that read “Justice for Renee”.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n