Incident details
- Date of incident
- January 25, 2026
- Location
- Minneapolis, Minnesota
- Targets
- Tina-Desiree Berg (Status Coup)
- Assailant
- Law enforcement
- Was the journalist targeted?
- Yes
Assault
Status Coup reporter Tina-Desiree Berg, in hat at center right, as she is grabbed from behind and thrown to the ground by a federal officer while reporting on a protest outside a hotel in Minneapolis, Minnesota, on Jan. 25, 2026.
Status Coup reporter Tina-Desiree Berg was assaulted by a federal officer, who seized her and shoved her to the ground, while covering immigration protests in Minneapolis, Minnesota, on Jan. 25, 2026.
Demonstrations in the Twin Cities area have been mounting since the beginning of January, following the expansion of an immigration enforcement crackdown, known as Operation Metro Surge, and federal officers’ fatal shooting of two Minneapolis residents — Renee Good and Alex Pretti.
Protesters had gathered that evening at a hotel where federal officers were believed to be staying, holding what Status Coup described as a “noise demonstration.” Federal forces arrived at approximately 10:30 p.m., the outlet reported, and dispersed the crowd using crowd-control munitions.
Eventually, the majority of those who remained in the hotel’s vicinity were members of the press, according to Status Coup.
In footage captured by Berg’s colleague, photojournalist Jon Farina, an agent can be seen directing members of the press to move back from the hotel’s lobby and sporadically pointing his weapon at the journalists standing in a semicircle around the entrance.
As more federal forces arrive on the scene, additional agents are heard directing the members of the media to move back, while others throw disorientation devices and tear gas into the loose press gaggle.
One of the officers turns around and, seeing Berg, grabs her by the shoulders from behind, swings her around him and pushes her forward, sending her toppling to the ground.
“What the fuck is wrong with you, asshole?” Berg is heard shouting at the officer as Farina helps her to her feet.
The footage shows the pair then run from the agents and through the growing cloud of chemical gas. After receiving aid from residents and rinsing off the irritant, both journalists returned to the scene, Status Coup reported.
Berg was not immediately available for comment, and the Department of Homeland Security did not respond to emailed requests.
The U.S. Press Freedom Tracker catalogs press freedom violations in the United States. Email tips to [email protected].
