Demonstrators rallied along Colonial Drive hours after a Minneapolis VA nurse was shot and killed by federal agents.
ORLANDO, FL — Hundreds of protesters filled Colonial Drive on Saturday evening, marching from Bumby Avenue toward Mills Avenue and calling for the abolition of Immigration and Customs Enforcement after federal agents fatally shot a 37-year-old man in Minneapolis earlier that day. Orlando police monitored the march, which remained peaceful as drivers honked in support and demonstrators chanted against the federal immigration crackdown.
The Orlando action came amid a wave of protests nationwide following two deadly shootings by immigration agents in Minneapolis this month. Organizers said they timed Saturday’s march after news broke that Alex Jeffrey Pretti, an ICU nurse at the Minneapolis VA hospital, was shot and killed during a federal operation. Less than three weeks earlier, an ICE officer fatally shot 37-year-old Renee Nicole Good during a traffic stop in south Minneapolis. Local elected officials in Central Florida said they are tracking federal activity and community concerns as advocates warn the enforcement surge could expand to Florida.
Protesters gathered first on the corners at Colonial and Bumby, then flowed into a moving march shortly after sunset. Many carried signs reading “Abolish ICE” and “Not in Our City.” “Enough is enough,” one marcher shouted through a bullhorn as a line of cyclists corked intersections to keep the crowd moving. Claire Capps, who joined the march, said the deadly incidents in Minnesota pushed her to the street despite safety worries. “All those people in Minnesota came out in that cold,” Capps said. “If they can stand out there, I can stand out here.” The procession continued for blocks with steady horn blasts as officers on bicycles and in cruisers kept traffic at bay. No injuries or clashes were reported.
Saturday’s rally followed smaller gatherings earlier this month outside Orlando City Hall and at an ICE office on Delegates Drive, where one protester was arrested after an encounter with law enforcement at the facility gate. In speeches downtown, organizers referenced both Minneapolis shootings and accused federal authorities of escalating force. Federal officials have said agents fired in self-defense in both cases. Minnesota’s governor and local leaders have disputed that account, citing witness videos and statements and calling for the federal surge to end. Pretti’s family said he was a lawful gun owner and that he was holding a phone, not a weapon, before shots were fired. In Good’s case, federal officials said she used her car as a weapon; relatives and witnesses have pushed back, saying she posed no lethal threat.
Central Florida elected officials also weighed in. State Rep. Anna Eskamani said she did not want the federal “playbook” used in Minnesota deployed in Orlando and raised concerns about reports of expanded immigration activity and the possibility of a new detention facility in the region. Orlando police said their role Saturday was to facilitate a lawful assembly and maintain public safety. Marchers said they plan to return in the coming days; some unions and faith leaders discussed coordinating future vigils with immigrant advocacy groups. Several protesters said they were motivated by recent reports that state investigators in Minnesota were initially blocked from accessing the latest shooting scene, deepening mistrust over how evidence from the incident will be handled.
Orlando’s demonstration drew residents from across Orange and Seminole counties as organizers set up water stations along the route and legal observers in bright hats trailed the crowd. Corey Hill, who helped coordinate a previous rally outside City Hall, told the audience that turnout in Orlando mirrored rapid mobilizations in other cities. “People organized in an hour,” Hill said, urging attendees to keep documenting encounters with federal agents and to check on neighbors. “What happened today in Minneapolis can happen anywhere,” another speaker said from the flatbed of a pickup as the march paused at a red light. Volunteers distributed candles and asked participants to hold a moment of silence for the two Minnesota victims before moving on.
Minneapolis remained tense Saturday night as large crowds gathered near the shooting site and city leaders pressed for accountability. The Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension said it opened an investigation into Pretti’s killing, while the Hennepin County Attorney’s Office joined state officials in court filings seeking to preserve evidence. A hearing on broader challenges to the ongoing federal immigration surge is expected Monday in Minneapolis. In Orlando, immigrant rights groups said they would announce additional actions once court schedules are set and more details emerge from investigators. The NBA postponed a nationally televised Timberwolves game in Minneapolis to reduce strain on local resources, underscoring the scope of the response.
As the Orlando march thinned, a smaller group lingered at the intersection where the rally began, taping posters to traffic signal poles and forming a circle around flickering candles. “We want our city leaders to stand with us,” said Fidel Gomez, who attended multiple events this month. “We don’t want what’s happening up there to happen here.” Passing drivers continued to honk as street sweepers moved through and officers reopened lanes. By late evening, organizers said their focus had shifted to coordinating legal support, planning vigils and tracking updates from Minnesota courts.
By night’s end, city streets were clear and no arrests were reported at the march. Organizers said they will announce their next Orlando gathering after a Minnesota court hearing scheduled for Monday and any investigative updates that follow.
Author note: Last updated January 25, 2026.