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NBA fans delivered anti-US Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) messages during the Minnesota Timberwolves’ game against the Golden State Warriors on Sunday.
Fans held signs inside the Target Center reading “ICE out now,” after two deadly incidents involving federal agents rocked Minneapolis this month. The second incident occurred Saturday when a Border Patrol agent fatally shot a Minneapolis man.
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A demonstrator holds a sign to protest the presence of federal agents in Minneapolis before the start of an NBA game between the Golden State Warriors and the Minnesota Timberwolves at Target Center on January 25, 2026 in Minneapolis, Minnesota. (David Berding/Getty Images)
Demonstrators hold signs to protest the presence of federal agents in Minneapolis before the start of an NBA game between the Golden State Warriors and the Minnesota Timberwolves at Target Center on January 25, 2026 in Minneapolis, Minnesota. (David Berding/Getty Images)
A view of signs protesting the presence of federal agents in Minneapolis before the start of an NBA game between the Golden State Warriors and the Minnesota Timberwolves at Target Center on January 25, 2026 in Minneapolis, Minnesota. (David Berding/Getty Images)
The NBA postponed the Warriors-T’Wolves game scheduled for Saturday, pushing it back to Sunday. Fans responded with anti-ICE messages inside the building, while protesters had similar messages outside the arena.
A minute of silence was observed for Alex J. Pretti before the denunciation.
He was shot and killed after allegedly confronting police during a Department of Homeland Security (DHS) operation in the south of the city.
The shooting death came weeks after a U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agent fatally shot Renee Nicole Good. DHS said Good was shot in self-defense after using her SUV in a way that posed a threat. DHS said the video showed Good interfering with ICE agents by parking his vehicle in the roadway in an apparent attempt to block federal vehicles.
A moment of silence is observed for Alex Jeffrey Pretti before the start of an NBA game between the Golden State Warriors and the Minnesota Timberwolves at Target Center on January 25, 2026 in Minneapolis, Minnesota. (David Berding/Getty Images)
WNBA STAR BREANNA STEWART CALLS FOR “ABOLISH ICE” BEFORE UNRIVALED GAME
The National Basketball Players Association also released a statement Sunday.
“After the announcement of yet another fatal shooting in Minneapolis, a city that has been at the forefront of the fight against injustice, NBA players can no longer remain silent,” the union said. “Now more than ever, we must defend the right to free speech and stand in solidarity with Minnesotans who are protesting and risking their lives to demand justice.
Fans hold signs to protest the presence of federal agents in Minneapolis before the start of an NBA game between the Golden State Warriors and the Minnesota Timberwolves at Target Center on January 25, 2026 in Minneapolis, Minnesota. (David Berding/Getty Images)
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“The NBA playing fraternity, like the United States itself, is a community enriched by its global citizens, and we refuse to let the flames of division threaten the civil liberties that are meant to protect us all. The NBPA and its members extend our deepest condolences to the families of Alex Pretti and Renee Good, as our thoughts remain focused on the safety and well-being of all members of our community.”
