Democracy Now! Audio - Democracy Now! 2026-01-12 Monday

Episode Date: January 12, 2026

Headlines for January 12, 2026; Iran Escalates Deadly Crackdown on Mass Protests as Trump Threatens to Launch Military Attack; “We Had Whistles. They Had Guns”: Nationwide Protests Held over ICE Killing of Renee Good; “All the Walls Came Down”: L.A. Fire Survivors Fight Foreclosure & Demand Justice in Altadena

From New York, this is Democracy Now. I've made the statement very strongly that if they start killing people like they have in the past, we will get involved. We'll be hitting them very hard where it hurts. And that doesn't mean boots on the ground, but it means hitting them very, very hard where it hurts. President Trump's threatening to attack Iran. If security forces there continue to use deadly force to crush anti-government protests. But Trump also says Iran wants to meet for negotiations.

We'll speak to the brother of Iranian Nobel Peace Laureate, Nargis Mohamedi. She was sent back to prison a month ago. Then to Minneapolis. Over the weekend, there were over a thousand protests across the country against ice following the killing of Renee Good. Yeah, I mean, it's just the pure, unadulterated violence and lack of care from these ICE agents that are being deplored. this evil Nazi immigrant administration. Coming here means a lot because it could be any of us. Any of us could be taken, black bagged, you know, murdered as we saw with Renee Good. So coming out

here, bringing a community to this movement is super important to get ice out of Minnesota. We'll go to Minneapolis to speak with a civil rights attorney, Nakima Levy Armstrong, founder of the racial justice network. Then all the walls came down. We look at a new short documentary by filmmaker Andy Timiner on last year's devastating fires in Los Angeles that destroyed her home and left her beloved town of Altadina in ruins. Wow. It says unsafe, but it says it right there, you see it? This is how we have to go home now.

We're home in a hazmat outfit. There's no home here. Altadena had the second highest percentage of black ownership of homes in the country. We'll speak with the subject of the film, organizer, Heavenly Hughes. She lost her home as well. All that and more coming up. Welcome to Democracy Now, Democracy Now.org, the War and Peace Report. I'm Amy Goodman.

In Iran, over 500 protesters and 48 security officials have died in demonstrations that have roiled Iran for two weeks. That's according to the U.S.-based human rights activist news agency. Iranian authorities have also arrested over 10,000 people. Videos circulating online show the graphic deaths of protesters and corpses lined up in bodybags outside hospitals. Iranian officials have shut off the Internet and limited phone calls inside the country. Over the weekend, President Trump repeatedly threatened to attack Iran.

U.S. security officials are reportedly weighing cyber attacks and direct strikes. This is President Trump speaking to reporters Friday. I've made the statement very strongly that if they start killing people like they have in the past, we will get involved. We'll be hitting them very hard where it hurts. And that doesn't mean boots on the ground, but it means hitting them very, very hard where it hurts. In response, Iran's foreign minister, Abasarachchi, blamed the U.S. and Israel for the protests, insisted the situation inside Iran is under control. Both the United States and Israel have officially stated that they have interference and a role in these rights.

And they are trying to turn these demonstrations and protests which are peaceful into violence and riots. Speaking to reporters Sunday, President Trump claimed Iranian leaders called him to negotiate, but the U.S. may take action before a meeting. of more on this story after headlines. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu expressed his support for the Iranian protesters in his speech to the Israeli Cabinet Sunday. Israel is closely monitoring developments in Iran. The demonstrations for freedom have spread across the country.

The people of Israel and the entire world are in awe of the immense courage of Iranian citizens. Israel supports their struggle for freedom and strongly condemns the mass killings of innocent civilians. Meanwhile in Gaza, Israeli forces killed at least three Palestinians Sunday. One person was killed in the Tufa neighborhood in Gaza City while two others were killed in southern Gaza near Khan Yunus. Since the U.S. brokered truce over 440 Palestinians have been killed by Israeli forces. Here's Mohamed Abouasi, whose nephew was killed in Israeli strikes. Every day houses are destroyed. Every day they're shooting and it's random.

Till now, the war is ongoing. Don't listen to those saying that the war is over. The war has stopped for the Israelis only, but for us, it's ongoing. Al Jazeera is reporting a Palestinian baby, Muhammad Abu Harbid, froze to death as torrential rains and freezing winds worse in the dire humanitarian situation faced by displaced families across the Gaza Strip. Since November, four Palestinian children are frozen to death. This comes as the Israeli militaries reportedly planning to restart intensive military operations in Gaza and March targeting Gaza City. According to the times of Israel, the operation would push the yellow line ceasefire demarcation west toward the coast of the Gaza Strip. Here in the United States, tens of thousands of people took to the streets over the weekend as protests against ice spread nationwide following the fatal ice shooting of

Renee Good, a 37-year-old mother of three, killed by an ICE agent in Minneapolis last week. Thousands of protests led by the ICE Out for Good campaign took place in towns and major U.S. cities, including New York, Portland, and the Los Angeles area, where activists also held a vigil for Keith Porter Jr., an African-American 43-year-old father of two who was fatally shot by an off-duty ice agent on New Year's Eve. His families demanding transparency in the investigation into his killing. Here are voices from the anti-ice protest this weekend in Boston. It infuriates me. It breaks my heart to see another woman killed and to see so many families torn apart.

And I can't be quiet about that. Neither can I. The line was, right, the line was George Floyd. And Renee Good's murder is just showing how far we have crossed that line. And I think that these men need to be held accountable. This comes as Homeland Security Secretary Christy Noem has vowed to deploy hundreds more federal agents in Minneapolis in response to the protests. Meanwhile, more video footage has emerged depicting the minutes before. Renee Good was fatally shot.

And what appears to be cell phone footage recorded by a nice agent, Good is seen sitting in her car as the agent circles around her vehicle in the middle of the road. Good tells the agent, quote, that's fine. I'm not mad at you. Right before she was shot dead. Good's wife is also seen recording the encounter on her cell phone. One agent is heard saying, quote, effing bitch. Renee Good's wife, Becca Good, released her first statement following the fatal shooting.

She described her partner as kind saying, quote, Renee was a Christian who knew that all religions teach the same essential truth. We're here to love each other, care for each other, and keep each other safe and whole, unquote. About their encounter with ice, she said, quote, we had whistles. They had guns, unquote. At the Golden Globe Awards last night, A number of attendees wore pins with the messages, Be Good and Ice Out. We'll have more on this story later in the broadcast.

Venezuela's interim President Elsie Rodriguez has requested help from the U.S. military to retrieve an oil tanker that departed Venezuela without permission. That's according to the New York Times, which reported what is the first known military collaboration between Venezuela and the U.S. since the kidnapping of Nicolas Maduro. On Friday, President Trump signed an executive order declaring a national emergency to ensure revenue from Venezuelan oil held by the U.S. Treasury as protected from being seized in lawsuits or creditor claims. The move would prevent the use of Venezuelan oil revenue from being used in judicial proceedings ahead of Maduro's anticipated trial on narco-terrorism charges. This comes as President Trump posted on truth, social, a fake image of a Wikipedia. page labeling him as the acting president of Venezuela. On Friday, President Trump met with oil

executives at the White House, including ExxonMobil, Conoco Phillips, and Chevron, urging them to invest $100 billion in Venezuela's oil production. This is President Trump speaking to Chevron's vice chair, Mark Nelson. I remember six months ago I told you to stay, just stay. Things are going to happen. You'll be very happy. I didn't know they were going to happen this faster, this conclusively, one thing I think everyone has to know is that if we didn't do this, China or Russia would have done it. The Nobel Institute has rejected an offer by right-wing Venezuela and opposition figure Maria Carina Machado to share her Nobel Peace Prize with President Trump.

Once a Nobel Prize is announced it cannot be revoked, shared or transferred to others, the Institute said. In response, the White House said in a statement, Trump, quote, deserves the Nobel Peace peace prize many times over, unquote. Trump said in an interview with Fox News last week that it, quote, would be a great honor to receive the prize from Machado, who said in a separate Fox interview, that presenting the prize to Trump would be an act of gratitude from the Venezuelan people for the ouster of Nicolas Maduro. The Washington Post reported President Trump was not willing to support Machado because she accepted the Peace Prize. The source said, quote, if she had,

turned it down and said, I can't accept it because it's Donald Trump. She'd be president of Venezuela today, unquote. Machado is scheduled to meet with President Trump in Washington, D.C. this week. Cuba's president, Miguel Diazcanal, has rejected threats by President Trump, who on Sunday said the island would no longer receive oil or aid from Venezuela and that it should strike a deal with Washington. Trump wrote on truth, social, quote, there will be no more oil or money going to Cuba, zero. I strongly suggest they make a deal before it's too late, unquote. Diaz-Kinell responded saying, quote, Cuba's a free, independent and sovereign nation. Nobody dictates what we do. Cuba does not attack. It has been attacked by the U.S. for 66 years, and it does not threaten.

It prepares ready to defend the homeland to the last drop of blood, unquote. Denmark's prime minister, Meta Fredrickson, said her country is at a fateful moment over President Trump's repeated threats to take over Greenland. the autonomous territory controlled by Denmark. Speaking at a political rally, she said, quote, what is at stake is bigger than what the eye can see, because if what we experience from the Americans is that they're actually turning their backs on the Western alliance,

that they are turning their backs on our NATO cooperation by threatening an ally, which we have not experienced before, then everything will stop, she said. Her comments came in response to President Trump's latest remarks, threatening force against Greenland. Right now, we are going to do something on Greenland, whether they like it or not, because if we don't do it, Russia or China will take over Greenland. We're not going to have Russia or China as a neighbor. I would like to make a deal, you know, the easy way.

But if we don't do it the easy way, we're going to do it the hard way. The Justice Department has launched a criminal investigation into Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell. He said the DOJ had issued subpoenas related to his congressional testimony about the central bank's $2.5 billion renovation of its Washington, D.C., headquarters last year. Powell, who was appointed by President Trump back in 2017, accused the administration of threatening criminal prosecution to pressure him to lower interest rates. This is Chairman Powell. The threat of criminal charges is a consequence of the Federal Reserve setting interest rates based on our best assessment. of what will serve the public, rather than following the preferences of the president. And the Smithsonian's portrait gallery has removed text referring to President Trump's two

impeachments when replacing his photo portrait as part of the museum's American president's exhibition. The text that was taken down read that President Trump was, quote, impeached twice on charges of abusive power and incitement of insurrection after supporters attacked the U.S. Capitol on January 6, 2021. He was acquitted by the Senate in both trials, unquote. Last year, President Trump ordered Smithsonian officials to review all exhibits before the 250th anniversary of the Declaration of Independence, July 4th. Before the review, President Trump had fired the head archivist of the National Archives

and tried to fire the National Portrait Gallery's director, Kim Sajit, but the board resisted. She later resigned. And those are some of the headlines. This is Democracy Now.comocracy now.org, the War and Peace Report. I'm Amy Goodman. President Trump's repeated his threat to attack Iran over Iranian security forces using violence to crush anti-government protests. Speaking to reporter Sunday night, President Trump claimed Iranian leaders called him to negotiate,

but Trump said the U.S. may take military action before a possible meeting. Iran called to negotiate. Yesterday. Yesterday, the leaders of Iran called they want to negotiate. I think they're tired of being beat up by the United States. Iran wants to negotiate, yes. We may meet with them. I mean, a meeting is being set up, but we may have to act because of what's happening before the meeting.

But a meeting is being set up. Iran called they want to negotiate. According to the U.S.-based human rights activist news agency, over 500 Iranian protesters and 48 security officials have died in demonstrations that began over two weeks ago over Iran's economic crisis. The death toll has not been confirmed in part because Iranian officials have shut off the internet and have limited phone calls inside Iran. Earlier today, tens of thousands of people took part in a pro-government rally in Iran.

Iran's foreign minister of Asaragchi blamed the U.S. and Israel for the anti-government protests, insisting the situation inside Iran is under control. On Sunday, Iran's parliament speaker warned the U.S. and Israel any military intervention will be met with retaliation. Know that in the case of an attack on Iran, the occupied lands as well as the U.S. military bases in the region will be our legitimate targets. And with all those clear confessions that you made about invading Iran, we will not limit ourselves to a reaction. We will act based on signs of threats. It was necessary to say this to you and all your allies in the region to avoid miscalculation. Otherwise, it will be too late to regret.

We're joined now by two guests. Hamidreza Mohammedi is the youngest brother of the Nobel Peace Laureate Nargis Mohamedi, who was detained in Iran once again last month. He works closely with the Nargis Foundation. He's joining us from Oslo, Norway. And in Washington, D.C., we're joined by Nargis Bajogh, Associate Professor of Anthropology and Middle East Studies at John Hopkins University. She's the co-author of How Sanctions Work, Iran, and the Impact of Economic Warfare.

Also the author of Iran reframed anxieties of power in the Islamic Republic. I want to begin with Hamid Reza-Mohamede, the brother of the Nobel Peace Laureate who's in jail. Can you describe what's happening on the ground? Hi. We, as you know, there is a complete blackout, information blackout in Iran. So we don't get a lot of news. But via Starlink, some people have been able to post videos of demonstrations. And unfortunately,

videos of a lot of bodies piled on one another in the hospitals or in the morgues. So it is as expected, the leader, the supreme leader of Iran made two speeches threatening the demonstrators. And it was a clear sign that it was a blank card. for killing people as many as they could to frighten people. And it has happened. We don't know exactly how many people have been killed in the demonstrations, but the videos show that the number is very high.

And it is very worrisome that in the lack of internet and telephone communication, the regime has been able to kill a lot of people to crack down the demonstration. We're seeing these horrific pictures of body bags outside of hospitals. It's expected there are hundreds of them. The estimates are 500, possibly 10,000 people arrested. I'm wondering if by any chance you've heard anything from your sister, from Nargis Mohamedi, who has been re-imprisoned. She was let out because of her health, then spoke at the funeral of an man who died in prison,

and now she's been re-imprisoned. Where is she, Hamid Reza? Do you know? Even before the demonstrations, we didn't get any information about Nargis and her health. My brother tried to visit her, but it was denied. After the demonstrations and complete caught-off of internet and telephone calls, I haven't even been able to call my family in Iran. So I don't think that they are going to tell anything about the people who they arrested that day.

I know some of the family members who are desperate to know anything about how they are being held, how is the health situation. But we have been denied any information. And now during the demonstrations, we don't even have any means of contacting our family members. Professor Nargis Bajogli, you're speaking to us from Washington, D.C., where President Trump has been making a number of threats. Considering a series of potential military options in Iran, Trump was briefed in recent days, apparently on different plans for intervention. On Saturday, he posted on social media, quote, Iran is looking at freedom perhaps like never

before the USA stands ready to help. This came after an overnight post on Friday, where Trump warned Iran that the U.S. locked and loaded. Can you talk about what's happening on the ground and President Trump's response? Will this help the protesters demanding freedom and democracy in Iran? Well, any kind of foreign-led intervention, and especially strikes and war, always gives governments a carte blanche to say that any kind of internal dissent can be or is, sort of enemy rhetoric and then it further represses. And this is why so many civil and political activists in Iran have warned against any kind of foreign intervention because it actually

increases repression inside of the country. Just like we've been seeing in the past few days, the Iranian government is saying that protesters are rioters and terrorists. And they are trying to say that some have very legitimate demands and others are causing havoc on purpose. So the more that the United States and Israel tie what is happening inside of Iran and tweet things like Mossad agents are on the ground and that we have plans and are locked and loaded, that only puts the lives of ordinary Iranians who have very legitimate concerns over the economic and political conditions in Iran on the line. And it just sort of, gives more of a carte blanche to the state, which has no qualms about using severe force

as it has in uprisings over the past many years. But to have the U.S. and Israel be so blunt about Assad being on the streets and the potential of further intervention only makes situation on the ground for those much worse. On Saturday morning, Secretary of State, Marco Rubio spoke by phone with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. They reportedly discussed the protest in Iran along with the situation in Syria and Gaza. On Sunday, the Israeli military said it's monitoring developments in Iran. And the Prime Minister Netanyahu voiced support for the Iranian protesters during a cabinet address. Israel is closely monitoring developments in Iran.

The demonstrations for freedom have spread across the country. The people of Israel and the entire world are in awe of the immense courage of Iranian citizens. Israel supports their struggle for freedom and strongly condemns the mass killings of innocent civilians. We all hope that the Persian nation will soon be freed from the yoke of tyranny. And when that day comes, Israel and Iran will once again be loyal partners in building a future of prosperity and peace for both peoples. If you could respond, Professor Nargis Bajogli. You know, Iranians inside of Iran have been watching the same footage that has come out of Gaza and across the Middle East that Israel has waged either genocide in Gaza, the continued bombardment of southern Lebanon, West Bank. And so when Bibi Netanyahu says such things, it comes across too many Iranians as not legitimate and as very much sort of using Israel.

real's own national interests and a geopolitical analysis and its geopolitical desires and using the Iranian protesters as a way to try to get to further weaken the Iranian regime. So this is something that only goes to further really put the lives of Iranian protesters in danger with these kinds of remarks. What makes these protests different from the 2022 protests following? Masa Amini's death, the young woman, and the call by people throughout Iran for women life and freedom. That movement had a much clearer vision of what it was trying to accomplish. And that movement was one in which the women's rights movement in Iran has been very long-lasting.

It's been the biggest thorn in the side of the Islamic Republic since pretty much from the beginning of its existence. Because of that, there's a lot of civil society organizations, a lot of political activists on the ground who are involved in that movement, and therefore are able to get not only a lot of folks onto the streets, but more importantly, they were able to, from the very get-go of that movement, get people involved in everyday acts of civil disobedience. And therefore, that movement has led to some of the most fundamental shifts in Iran society in many, many decades. I mean, today, the mandatory hijab is de facto not a part of everyday life and life in many parts of the country. This movement is one in which, or this recent uprisings is one in which it was caused by a severe currency crash, which is connected to U.S. sanctions. And it's caused by a severe cost of living crisis in Iran, very high inflation. People are very angry at the economic situation, and they are therefore also angry at the political situation because unless Iran takes a different position in its foreign policy, its economic

situation and the economic sanctions will not be able to budge. So this is coming out of a lot of very real anger and grievances on the ground, but it is not necessarily yet coalesced around any kind of movement building on the ground that has similar to the woman life freedom movement. So we have to wait and see where this goes. But again, the constant, whether from the Israelis or the Americans, the constant talk about Mossad being present, that they are locked and loaded and ready, that makes this also and tenor very different from what we saw in 2022, and therefore, the response and the reaction and what it means going forward, something very different. And I think that the key here is the movement a few years ago really

put civil disobedience and noncompliance to the state at the forefront. And this one has come out much more sort of both been met by violence and has seemed to have a lot more willingness to burn certain things on the ground and things like that. And that's, is making the situation extremely heated. Let's turn to Nobel laureate Nargis Mohamedi in her own words. Speaking in a video released by Amnesty International years ago in 2021, again, she's in prison. Hello to my colleagues and friends in Amnesty. Today, I can send this video message to you and without your protection, it wouldn't have been possible.

I hope one day to be able to tell you, that execution have stopped in Iran and that women in my country have got their rights and that we have a better human rights situation in Iran. My goal is to achieve peace and human rights. I am determined to try more than before. I'm sure with our efforts, perseverance in Iran and with your human rights colleagues' protections, we will will win altogether for peace and human rights. So that was Nargis Mohamedi speaking when she was freed after years in prison, freed for health reasons.

She has been re-imprisoned. Her brother, Ahmad Reza Mahamadhi, with us. Your final words on one, you said your brother tried to visit her in prison. Have you heard from him since? And what the people on the ground are demanding right now, Hamad Reza. As I told you, we have heard nothing from our family members in Iran since they close all kinds of means of communication. But people in Iran simply want a different system.

and they don't want to be enslaved by this regime for its ideological purposes. They want freedom as it was a slogan in 2022, women life freedom. They want equal rights for everyone, including women, and they want freedom. And I think it is a kind of injustice to say that this time, the regime is acting this way because of the threats of the United States or Israel, because it overlooks the agency of the Iranian people on the ground.

you must remember that going on the streets in front of the bullets is not something that happens when a foreign country sends a message or encourages people to do. People in Iran really want freedom and the same values that Western democracies stand for. And they are expecting support because the values that they are fighting for are the same values that are held dear in the United States and Western Europe. So I don't think that the regime is killing people more just because President Trump is supporting war,

Prime Minister Netanyahu is supporting them. the foreign affairs are influential, maybe, but it is the people on the ground that they are chanting what they want. And we shouldn't ignore what they are chanting for. The U.S. sanctions have certainly affected Iranian economy, but the mismanagement of all the resources that we had in Iran, the money that they got from oil, they use all that money to make missiles and to export those missiles to their proxies. So there was enough money to make Iran from the ground up again, but they chose to spend that money on their ideological wars. So we should also give agency to the regime itself and not say that it is because of the policies of the United States or any other country. They are responsible for ruining Iran, and people in Iran are really tired of it.

And Professor Bajoghly, your final comment in this last 30 seconds. Iranians have been struggling for their freedom for close to over 40 years. They definitely want a different system. And they know very well what they are up against, and they are extremely brave in how they go up for the changes that they seek. The Islamic Republic is and has always responded extremely repressively towards uprisings in Iran. But it is a fact that the more that the United States and Israel make these kinds of claims of intervention and having agents on the ground, it only continues to up the ante. completely erases a lot of the very legitimate grievances and demands that Iranians on the ground have. And it just escalates this entire thing into a geopolitical war instead of continuing to listen to what those folks on the ground are demanding.

John Sopkins University professor, Nargis Bajogli, teaches anthropology and Middle East studies, co-author of how sanctions work Iran and the impact of economic warfare, speaking to us from Washington, D.C. And Hamidodehese, Mohamede, brother of the Nobel Peace Laureate, Nargous Mohamedi, who once again was imprisoned last month. He works closely with the Nargis Foundation, speaking to us from Oslo, Norway. Up next, over a thousand protests against ICE across the country following the killing of Renee Good in Minneapolis. We'll go there. Stay with us. For the cooche of rachshieden, Foray to be wakht of busied,

For my, chaharan, Chaharet, chaharramom Forer, for change of masts, Pooziedan. Foreroy, for chalmendigy, for a bough of a heart of a Mammuly, Foray, for the cudeque,

Zobal, gyrd, and arsewha. for this This is a For a For this Hawae For the Walias

And for For the For the For the For the For the Bigh-Bugna Mamnoe

For Gerea-Bewa For For To the Toer this For the For the

Chhry that Mee Ryan, because of the Iranian singer Shchervin Hajipur, it became the unofficial anthem of the 2022 Iran protests after the death of Masa Amini, severely beaten by police for breaking hijab law. Hajipur was arrested two days after the song was originally published. This is Democracy Now, Democracy Now.org. I'm Amy Goodman.

Newly released footage shows Renee Good. the 37-year-old mother of three shot dead by an ICE agent in Minneapolis last week, calmly told the agent, quote, I'm not mad at you right before he shot her. In footage, ICE claims was recorded by ICE agent Jonathan Ross on his cell phone. Good has seen sitting in her car as Ross circles around her vehicle in the middle of the road. Good's wife, Becca, also speaks to Ross in the roughly 42nd encounter. The video begins shortly before Ross fired his gun while also recording on his phone and continues for a few minutes afterwards.

I'm not mad at it. It's okay. We don't change our plates every morning, just so you know. It'll be the same plate when you come talk to us later. That's fine. U.S. citizen. You have a fucking. You want to come out of?

You want to come at us? I say go get yourself some lunch, big boy. Go ahead. Out of the car. Get out of the car. Get out of the car. After ICE agent, Jonathan Ross, shot Renee Good. A male voice, possibly Ross's, is heard in the video saying, effing bitch.

The Minnesota Star Tribune reports Ross is a firearms instructor who appears to have defended white supremacist online. He was deployed to a rock in 2004 and 5. before joining Border Patrol and then ice. His family and friends reportedly describe him as a hardcore conservative Christian and MAGA supporter. This comes as Renee Good's wife, Becca, released her first statement following the fatal shooting, saying, quote, Renee was a Christian who knew that all religions teach the same essential truth. We're here to love each other, care for each other, and keep each other safe and whole.

About their encounter with ICE agents, she said, quote, we had whistles, they had guns. unquote. Meanwhile, Homeland Security Secretary Christy Noem has doubled down on allegations. Good was engaged in domestic terrorism. She spoke here on CNN. She weaponized her vehicle to conduct an act of violence against a law enforcement officer and the public. As protests continue in Minneapolis over goods killing, tens of thousands of people took to the streets nationwide, led by the ICE Out for Good campaign from Los Angeles to New York. What happened, they're completely inexcusable. And what makes it even worse is the administration's reaction to it. From Christy Nome, President Trump, Vice President Vance, all of them slandering her as a domestic terrorist.

And if they can call her a domestic terrorist, then we're all domestic terrorists, you know. For more, we go to Minneapolis to speak with civil rights attorney and activist Nekima Levy Armstrong, as hundreds more federal agents are expected to deploy this week to Minneapolis. us. Nikima, thanks for joining us again on Democracy Now. We spoke to you after the George Floyd police murder five years ago, and now here you are back again. If you can respond to what Christy Noem is saying, she immediately has come to a conclusion about what happened, and they are preventing saying that they will not cooperate with state and local authorities in Minnesota to investigate what took place.

The state and the city of Minneapolis are pushing back. We spoke to Attorney General Keith Ellison, the Minnesota Attorney General. Explain what's happening right now. Well, number one, we know that DHS Secretary Christy Noem is not only lying. She's rushing to judgment. Amy, as you know, anytime there's a police shooting and there are witnesses and we see what happens on video,

we're told, pipe down, wait for the evidence all to come forward, the investigation to be complete before drawing any conclusions regarding the outcome. And here, in this instance, we're seeing the exact opposite take place, but this time at the hands of the federal government, who has already labeled the victim falsely as a domestic terrorist. We heard from so-called President Donald Trump claiming that Renee Good tried to run the ICE agent over with her vehicle, which again is false.

We heard J.D. Vance, the vice president of the United States, claiming that federal agents have complete immunity, which is a lie. And so those folks at the highest levels of government are perpetuated, falsehoods, narratives that are nonsensical, and working overtime to justify the brutal murder of Renee Good, a mother of three, which is unconscionable and unacceptable. And so the people of the state of Minnesota, as well, of course, as the city of Minneapolis, have consistently taken to the streets to call for justice for Renee Good. As a matter of fact, The day after Renee Good was killed, the FBI made it clear that they were disinviting the Bureau of Criminal Apprehension, which is one of our state agencies primarily responsible for investigating the use of deadly force in the state of Minnesota.

They said that they could no longer participate in the investigation, that they would not share evidence. And so after that happened, the Bureau of Criminal Apprehension essentially said, hey, there's nothing we can do. And there was silence on the part of a lot of our elected officials, many of whom are Democratic in terms of running the city of Minneapolis, as well as our governor, Tim Walts, who was a Democrat. They were largely silent after that, but we, the people actually made the decision to go out and educate the public. we held an emergency press conference, and we called upon local elected officials to take matters into their own hands by taking control of the investigation. We said under the law, you are able to charge and arrest Jonathan Ross for the murder of Renee Good. We've all seen the videos. We know that there are plenty of witnesses. That should be sufficient evidence to demonstrate probable cause.

for the arrest of Jonathan Ross. And I'm saying this in contrast to what happens if, let's say, a young black man commits a crime. Imagine a young black man standing in front of a person's vehicle and opening fire and shooting them in the head. That person would have been arrested immediately. So there should not be a double standard for law enforcement, particularly when it comes to ICE agents who are acting with a reckless disregard for human life. and they are also violating the law, but they are not being held accountable. I'm wondering, Nikima Levy Armstrong, if you have a comment on your local home paper, Minnesota Star Tribune reporting, Jonathan Ross of Firearms Instructor appears to have defended white supremacists online deployed to Iraq in 2004 and 5 before joining Border Patrol and ICE.

Friends and family describe him as a hardcore conservative Christian and MAGA supporter. His sister took him on in the Facebook post, but saying, I love you, Jonathan. You're my brother, but I'm not going to have this fight on Facebook. Your response. Well, I'm glad that the Star Tribune is doing its part in reporting the truth. As a matter of fact, one of the demands that we made when we held our press conference was for the release of the name of the ICE agent to come forward. And the Star Tribune was actually the paper that was the first. to release Jonathan Ross's name, and that's how we found out that he is actually a resident of

the state of Minnesota. He is also married to a Filipino immigrant. And so there are so many contradictions, you know, with regard to his background, the fact that he would be married to an immigrant and harbor such hateful views. And the way in which he treated Renee Good, from my perspective, demonstrated hate towards women. The fact that you can look at a defenseless woman who is essentially unarmed, has a smile on her face, is kind in the way that she's speaking to him, and for him to be able to see her as a threat, it's just unconscionable to me. But again, what we have to realize is that the federal government is essentially unleashing

ICE agents, of course, in cities across America, particularly democratically run cities, which I believe is intentional. And with regard to what is happening in Minnesota, the largest deployment of ICE agents in U.S. history, it's not a coincidence that this is happening, and we believe in retaliation for our governor running to become the vice president of the United States and taking on Donald Trump and MAGA and, you know, speaking the truth around the issues that are happening. And in response to that, what's what's going on? We're seeing retaliation. We're seeing hellhounds being unleashed in the city of Minneapolis and claiming to have federal authority to do the things that they're doing, dragging people out of their cars,

busting down people's doors, kicking in people's doors, showing up at local target stores and arresting employees. It's just, it's outrageous. The churches aren't safe. The schools aren't safe. As a matter of fact, Minneapolis Public Schools shut down schools on Thursday and Friday after an attack by ICE agents where they were seen physically abusing children, apprehending one or two staff members, as well as pepper-spraying children, getting out of school,

high school students at Roosevelt High School. That's right. Nikima Levy Armstrong, I want to thank you for being with us, civil rights attorney, founder of the racial justice network. Of course, we're going to continue to cover this. And over the weekend, three lawmakers in Minnesota, Congress members, Angie Craig, Kelly Morrison, Ilhan Omar, visited regional ice headquarters near Minneapolis. us, but were denied access, even though federal law prohibits DHS from blocking Congress members

entering their sites. But last week, the Trump administration reinstated limits that require lawmakers to provide seven-day notice before visits. We'll cover the story this week each day. Next up, all the walls came down. A new documentary by filmmaker Andy Timiner on last year's devastating fires in Los Angeles that destroyed her home and left her beloved town of Altadena in ruins. We'll also speak with the Altadena community leader, Heavenly Hughes. Stay with us. All the wall above the tree Never knew you from

to all. Didn't know your face in the crowd. All the walls came down, performed by Chantal Kraviatzik and written by Chantal and Morgan Doctor. This is Democracy Now,

Democracy Now.org. I'm Amy Goodman. We end today's show. Continuing our look back at last. year's devastating fires in Los Angeles. One year ago, the historic Palisades fire and eaten fire ripped through the region. More than 30 people died over 100,000 displays. Some 16,000 buildings and homes were destroyed. We turned out to the short documentary. All the walls

came down, directed by filmmaker Andy Timoner. The fires destroyed her home and left her beloved town of Altadena and its historically black neighborhood in ruins. The film follows Altadena community activist Heavenly Hughes. It's been shortlisted for an Oscar. This is the trailer. Here it is. Wow. It says unsafe, it says it right there.

You see it? This is how we have to go home now. We're home in a hazmat outfit. There's no home here. We got married right here. Amen. All the mom! It's beyond, believe.

Yeah. I don't know if we can live here. Morgan really is. want to live here. But I also don't want to abandon my community. I mean, Altadena's my community. So I don't know what to do. What would you do? We were actually trapped and had to break through my glass doors to even get out the house. Welcome home, Angie. Randy's my across-the-street neighbor. I said, there's no way if I was going to make it all the way to our house. That's downtown Altadena. And it did. This was our family legacy.

You moved into a black community where we are not on the priority list to save our lives. They've been wanting to get us out of there for a very long time. Alton Dean is not for sale. We want to make sure that Supervisor Barger know that we want to be a part of the conversation. How are you from? Not today. No, I know. There's a lot of community members who are saying we might have to start sleeping at the park

because we are unhoused. What's happening with the house? They're saying that we're going to do more closures. What? Yeah. I come back here just to remember how to get here, and just to know the way back home. That's my bedroom wall right there. My safest space of the world.

Alcabina, this is the largest debris mission in the 250 years at the Corps of Engineers and the Army has been in existence. and I have 100% confidence that it will rise up again. The trailer for all the walls came down. Let's go to another clip featuring community activist Heavenly Hughes, founder of the group My Tribe Rise. Despite living next to each other, exchanging occasional hellos and waves from a distance, it's only after the walls came down, and my neighbors and I are, displaced and dispersed that are bonds of connection truly form.

We have luncheons where we invite Altadienians throughout the community who's been impacted by the fire. We call them our power luncheons. Hello, how are you? Blessings. Good to see you. We're going to talk. Our last luncheon.

I saw probably 20 of my classmates that I graduated from high school with. They come up to me like, thank you so much. feels good to be able to serve them. Altadena is actually not a city of its own. It's unincorporated L.A. County. So we only have county services, like the county fire and sheriff, and Catherine Barker is our only local politician.

How many of us in here are planning to rebuild? Because we want to keep you encouraged. We want to keep you encouraged that we are going to rebuild. There will be a new Altadena, and we're going to all be a part of it. Blessing. A clip from the Oscar shortlisted film, All the Walls Came Down. You can watch the whole thing on the Los Angeles Times website.

We're joined now by that community activist in Altadena, Heavenly Hughes, and the film's award-winning director, Andy Timoner, who lost her home in the fire. I mean, let's be clear on what Altadena represents in this country, the second largest percentage of black home ownership in, the country. Over 9,000 structures burnt down more than 6,000 of them, homes. Heavenly, if you can talk about the people who've lost their homes. 60% of the homes were owned by black families? Yes, well, 60% of ownership within the black community was home owners. So yeah, thank you so much, of course, for having us.

here we truly appreciate. We appreciate keeping the message out about what has happened in Altadena. This catastrophe has been a hardship that we are still struggling to overcome. So yes, this is a black community where we were built this community of Altonina through redlining. We all came together in West Side Altadena, and we feel like we're being forced out because of this fire and not really getting the support that we need from our elected officials to be sure to preserve and protect our black and brown community. So what's happening? I mean, the homes have burnt down. Right. And talk about who is claimed responsibility. Actually, let's put that question to Andi. The electric company. Yeah, this is, we found very quickly after the fire that Southern California

Edison actually started the fire. They didn't turn the power off, even though the Palisades and Malibu fire was raging all day with 80, 90 mile an hour winds. And they just couldn't charge us if they didn't keep the power on, right? So they, penny wise, pound foolish, and they just kept it on. And they had a dead line that was supposed to be dormant for years that they were supposed to take down, that they didn't take down. And it was activated by colliding with a live wire and the brush that they had not cleaned, ignited.

And many people caught it on their cameras. they've accepted responsibility, but they won't pay until next year. So we have to get families. We have over 61% of Altadena families are going to face a housing crisis in the next two months. They're going to lose their homes because they've run out of... The petition you have, I saw a screening of this yesterday. Yes. It says... Yeah, so the petition is to stop the foreclosures, put a moratorium on the foreclosures. Governor Newsome and the legislature can do that so that black and brown families are not pushed off their land. land while waiting for the power company to pay. How can they possibly be foreclosed on? And who's buying up the properties if they are? And of course, if it's foreclosed on, they won't be bought from the owners. Well, it's predatory behavior happening now.

I call them vultures. It is the developers who are coming and buying up the land. We're going through a hardship. So they're offering money to say, you know, we can get you out of this hardship, take out of this heaviness. It's hard to navigate what to do right now and so many moving pieces. And so developers are coming in, offering money. And really, our community members are not as informed to understand that they're offering pennies on the dollar of what this land is worth.

And so that's who come. Do people have insurance? A lot of people were dropped. On West Side, Altadena, four months before the fire, many homes, they were dropped. You know, there's state form and other insurance company, to me, they also are predatory of what's going. on because they are not paying. Some folks have been paying insurance premiums for 20, 30, 40, even 50 years. And now when it's time to pay out, they're not doing it. They're not paying out. They're making people pay first and reimburse. And how are we, if you lost everything,

where are you coming up with the money to pay first when you've been paying these premiums for years? So this is also a hardship. We're going to do a part two of this discussion. But what do you think is the most important takeaway. Andy, you were making a film. You got a message from your cross-the-street neighbor. Your house has burned down. Yeah, I was in Europe at the time, and I just thought, I, you know, I have lost everything. But if I don't film right now, there'd be no way to transform this experience into something meaningful if there's a meaning to be found. And I found that silver lining with the community. The community has come together out of this. We stand together and demand that Southern California Edison bridge families over so that they're not pushed off their

generation of land. They have an emergency fund of billions of dollars. Billions of dollars. And they just need to advance money now. And that's part of our petition as well. So this is really something that, you know, it's, I made the film extremely fast because it's an emergency response. It's an urgent situation in our town. We're going to continue this discussion and post it online at DemocracyNow.org. I want to thank you, Andy Timoner, director of all the war. came down. The film shortlisted for an Oscar features Heavenly Hughes, who founded My Tribe Rise. That does it for the show. I'm Amy Goodman. Thanks for joining us.