Activist Exposes Manipulated Arrest Imagery Amid Protests Against ICE

Mon Jan 26 2026 07:49:17 GMT+0200 (Eastern European Standard Time)

Nekima Levy Armstrong shares her experience from arrest during a protest against ICE, countering claims from the White House using manipulated images.

Nekima Levy Armstrong, a civil rights attorney in Minnesota, released footage of her arrest amid an anti-ICE protest at a church. This comes after the White House posted altered images of her arrest to discredit her. The incident highlights the ongoing tension around immigration enforcement and protest, as Levy Armstrong argues that her arrest represents political persecution.

MINNEAPOLIS (AP) — Activist Nekima Levy Armstrong, charged for her involvement in an anti-ICE protest at a church, released a video showing her arrest after the White House shared a manipulated image of the event.

On Thursday, an official White House post displayed an image of Armstrong, capturing her in a distressing moment, and was captioned: Arrested far-left agitator Nekima Levy Armstrong for orchestrating church riots in Minnesota. This prompted a swift backlash as another image circulated, showing her with a neutral expression.

Levy Armstrong, alongside others, was arrested during a protest aimed at disrupting an ICE service led by a church pastor. After being released from custody, she shared her own video, taken by her husband, which illustrated the moments leading to her arrest.

I'm asking you to please treat me with dignity and respect, she can be heard requesting from federal agents.

Despite claims of emotional distress, Levy Armstrong's video depicted her engaged in discussions with the agents about her situation. She asserted her right to speak out against what she termed as the brutality from ICE, a significant abuse of power.”

Her attorney provided no comments, but Levy Armstrong later expressed that the incident and the White House's imagery manipulation pointed towards a broader campaign of political persecution, framing her activism against an authoritarian stance.

As tensions rise regarding immigration enforcement, the consequences of the protests and the political implications of the altered imagery reveal a contentious discourse around immigration policy and civil rights.