Minnesota Rapper Violently Detained by ICE: ‘I Assumed I Was Going to Die’
Minnesota Rapper Violently Detained by ICE: ‘I Assumed I Was Going to Die’ Twin Cities artist Nur-D talks was tackled to the ground while peacefully protesting the death of Alex Pretti, but remains dedicated: “We will not stop fighting” By Jonathan Bernstein January 30, 2026 Local artist Nur-D, a.k.a Matthew Allen, moments before being pinned to the ground by ICE agents. Brandon Bell/Getty Images When Matthew Allen woke up on Saturday, Jan. 24, he was looking forward to running errands. Allen, better known in the Twin Cities as the musician and rapper Nur-D, had spent the previous day with thousands of Minnesotans marching on the streets in -15º weather to protest the ongoing violent federal occupation of the state. Now the weekend had arrived, and Allen woke up excited to spend his day shopping for window blinds and dog food with his wife. “I was planning on having a regular day,” he says. But soon after getting up, Allen did what millions of Americans did that...