Hundreds of soldiers on standby for possible deployment to Minneapolis as protests continue

About 1,500 active-duty soldiers are on standby for possible deployment to Minneapolis, a U.S. defense official told CBS News Saturday.

ABC News was first to report that the soldiers were on standby. 

The soldiers — from the 11th Airborne Division at Fort Wainwright in Fairbanks, Alaska — are one option the military is planning for if President Trump decides to use active-duty military personnel, the official said.

No decision has yet been made on whether to deploy the soldiers, the official said.

Mr. Trump on Thursday threatened to invoke the Insurrection Act in order to send federal troops into Minneapolis. 

Hundreds of counterprotesters drowned out a far-right activist's attempt to hold a small rally in support of the Trump administration's latest immigration crackdown in Minneapolis on Saturday, as the governor's office announced that National Guard troops were mobilized and ready to assist law enforcement though not yet deployed to city streets.

There have been protests every day since the Department of Homeland Security ramped up immigration enforcement in the Twin Cities of Minneapolis and St. Paul by bringing in more than 2,000 federal officers.

Conservative influencer Jake Lang organized an anti-Islam, anti-Somali and pro-ICE demonstration, saying on social media beforehand that he intended to "burn a Quran" on the steps of City Hall. But it was not clear if he carried out that plan.

Only a small number of people showed up for Lang's demonstration, while hundreds of counterprotesters converged at the site, yelling over his attempts to speak and chasing the pro-ICE group away. They forced at least one person to take off a shirt they deemed objectionable.

Lang appeared to be injured as he left the scene, with bruises and scrapes on his head.

Lang was previously charged with assaulting an officer with a baseball bat, civil disorder and other crimes before receiving clemency as part of President Donald Trump's sweeping act of clemency for Jan. 6 defendants last year. Lang recently announced that he is running for U.S. Senate in Florida.

In Minneapolis, snowballs and water balloons were also thrown before an armored police van and heavily equipped city police arrived.

"We're out here to show Nazis and ICE and DHS and MAGA you are not welcome in Minneapolis," protester Luke Rimington said. "Stay out of our city, stay out of our state. Go home."

The Minneapolis Police Department released a statement regarding Saturday's protests. 

"Today, when crowds blocked roadways, vehicles were used to block roadways, MPD deployed resources and made public announcements for people move to the sidewalk or out of the area. This occurred several times. In general, crowds were responsive to those directives." 

The City of Minneapolis urged on social media for community members to continue to be peaceful and lawful in the presence of federal immigration agents. 

City and state leaders have repeated this message since the protests first started. 

Conservative activist Jake Lang posted on social media that he was injured during today's protests. 

Lang organized an anti-Islam protest in front of Minneapolis City Hall, which was met with counterprotesters. Social media videos are circulating that show Lang visibly bleeding. In some, Lang can be seen on the ground. 

Several physical altercations occurred during the two opposing protests. 

The Minneapolis Police Department said it's aware of social media accounts of Lang being assaulted, and that, as of Friday night, an official report hasn't been filed with authorities.

"MPD encourages anyone who has experienced assaultive behavior to report the incident as soon as possible and provide as much detail as they can, including the date, time, and location of the incident, a description of any suspects, and the nature and extent of any injuries sustained," the agency said in a written statement.

WCCO has not heard if there were other injuries. 

The Minnesota National Guard posted on social media that they are on standby and ready to assist local law enforcement and public safety agencies. 

The post also said if members are activated, they will be wearing reflective vests to help distinguish them from other agencies in similar uniforms. 

Department of Public Safety Commissioner Bob Jacobsen and Major General Shawn Manke with the Minnesota National Guard discussed measures the state is taking at a news conference on Friday afternoon. Manke said members have been mobilized, though they will not be used unless needed.   

In a social media post Saturday, the Minnesota Department of Public Safety said that the Minnesota National Guard had been mobilized at the direction of Gov. Tim Walz, but had not yet been deployed to city streets. 

"They are not deployed to city streets at this time, but are ready to help support public safety, including protection of life, preservation of property and supporting the rights of all who assemble peacefully," the agency wrote.  

Walz earlier this month issued a warning order to prepare the National Guard in response to the fatal shooting of Renee Good by a U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement agent.  

Protesters arrived at Minneapolis City Hall early Saturday afternoon. 

Minneapolis Police were on scene to clear protesters out of the road and steer them back to the permitted area. 

Heated exchanges have erupted between opposing protests outside City Hall. Aerial footage over the scene has shown several physical altercations between protesters.

Conservative activist Jake Lang organized an anti-Islam protest in front of City Hall. Lang was met with a counterprotest set up by the People's Action Coalition Against Trump. Lang was charged with assaulting an officer, civil disorder and other crimes in connection with the Jan. 6 riot before President Trump pardoned him.

Protesters moved from in front of City Hall to a separate part of downtown Minneapolis. Crowds blocked the street and prevented the flow of traffic.

Police officers on the scene worked to clear a nearby street and threatened crowd control measures around 1:40 p.m. before protesters started moving.

The Saint Paul Federation of Educators released a statement that the Executive Board agreed to support the Day of Action. 

The Day of Action is scheduled for Friday in response to Operation Metro Surge. Minnesotans are urged to not go to work, school or go shopping.

According to the SPFE, the three demands for the day of action are: 

• ICE must leave Minnesota now. 
• The officer who killed Renee Good must be held legally accountable 
• No additional federal funding for ICE in the upcoming budget 
  

The federation said in part, 

"We find ourselves at a moment in time — yet again — that demands we stand in our values to protect the lives of our students and their families. Our union has never backed down from challenging and difficult choices. The importance of all of us standing together in community to show our families and our nation that we will hold the line for what is right cannot be understated."

Legal expert Joe Tamburino joined WCCO on Saturday morning and weighed in on the federal investigation into Gov. Tim Walz and Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey. 

He called the Department of Justice's investigation a "stretch," called for calm and talked next steps. 

Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz and Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey are under federal investigation over an alleged conspiracy to impede federal immigration agents, multiple sources familiar with the matter told CBS News.

One of the sources, a U.S. official, said the investigation stems from statements that Walz and Frey have made about the thousands of Immigration and Customs Enforcement officers and Border Patrol agents deployed to the Minneapolis region in recent weeks.  

Subpoenas are likely to be issued in the probe, sources familiar with the matter told CBS News.  

Professor David Schultz, a First Amendment law expert with Hamline University and University of St. Thomas School of Law, said he doesn't expect the investigation to hold much water. 

Schultz explained that public comments from both Walz and Frey fall under protected speech, noting that the bar would be incredibly high if the federal government is attempting to argue that either of them have verbally encouraged a "real overt act of obstruction." 

"There's no case on record, let us say in the modern history of the First Amendment, that has taken mere criticism to be equivalent to obstruction of justice," Schultz said, adding that it's no surprise to him that President Trump is using the DOJ to further complicate life for Walz and other Minnesota officials.   

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Minnesota Department of Public Safety Commissioner Bob Jacobsen says his agency and other state officials are aware and prepared for the planned protests this weekend. 

"We want to be there to be helpful. We want to be there to keep the peace and, again, let's be Minnesotans. Let's be those who want to do this the right way, to demonstrate, to share your opinions, to share your values, to share your thoughts, but to do it in a way that doesn't incite violence, that doesn't bring anymore harm," Jacobsen said in a news conference on Friday afternoon. 

That includes one that could come through downtown Minneapolis, as well as a counter protest planned in the same area.