Angry fans, signs on the court
Protests at the NBA Arena in Minneapolis
January 26, 2026 – 7:18 p.mReading time: 2 min.
Alex Pretti was killed by US officials in Minneapolis. The outcry is huge. Now he has also arrived in the NBA, where fans are clearly reacting.
On Saturday, 37-year-old American and nurse Alex Pretti was arrested by federal agents from the American Immigration Service (ICE) and later killed by multiple gunshots. Since then there has been great sadness, anger and protest.
The effects can also be seen at the Target Center in Minneapolis, home of the Minnesota Timberwolves NBA franchise. During the game against the Golden State Warriors (85:111), a moment of silence was held in the arena in honor of the deceased. At the end of the silence, clear and unambiguous shouts can be heard: “Fuck ICE”.
But the minute of silence should not be the only sign of protest against ICE’s harsh actions. In a video circulating on x, it becomes clear that protests were also held as part of the entertainment program surrounding the game.
The Minnesota Slam Squad, the team that uses trampolines to perform acrobatic shows around the Timberwolves’ NBA games, wore black T-shirts that clearly read: “ICE out.”
It’s not the first time the Timberwolves have shown themselves political. At the beginning of January, when Renée Good, also 37, was killed by ICE officers on the street in Minneapolis, the NBA franchise held a minute’s silence.
At the time, coach Chris Finch said: “As we all know, our community has experienced an incredible tragedy. We just want to send our condolences. Our prayers and thoughts are with the family and everyone affected by this.”
