Fifteen immigration protestors in Minnesota charged with impeding and injuring agents

Fifteen immigration protesters associated with Antifa in Minnesota are facing a slew of federal charges, including conspiracy to impede or injure federal agents, assault on a federal officer and destruction of government property, the Justice Department and Department of Homeland Security announced Tuesday. 

The charges are related to actions carried out in Minneapolis and surrounding areas earlier this year during demonstrations against the Trump administration's crackdown on illegal immigration, NBC News reported. 

Over two days, according to Minnesota U.S. Attorney General Daniel Rosen, the protesters allegedly used vehicles and blocks of ice to impede federal vehicles outside a federal detention center. They also used homemade plastic and wood shields to "physically resist efforts of law enforcement," and they followed and surveilled law enforcement officers, Rosen said. 

He said the conspiracy to interfere with lawful immigration enforcement operations came not from their voices, but from force, which is a crime. He also said the defendants are linked to two Minneapolis-based Antifa groups.