Lee Drake
@leedrake.bsky.social
Reposted by Lee Drake
We call for a deescalation of tensions from both sides, the murderers and the people being murdered
January 26, 2026 at 5:34 AM
We call for a deescalation of tensions from both sides, the murderers and the people being murdered
“At times, Minneapolis reminded me of what I saw during the Arab Spring in 2011, a series of street clashes between protesters and police that quickly swelled into a much larger struggle against autocracy.”
Welcome to the American Winter
In the frozen streets of Minneapolis, something profound is happening.
www.theatlantic.com
January 26, 2026 at 7:05 AM
“At times, Minneapolis reminded me of what I saw during the Arab Spring in 2011, a series of street clashes between protesters and police that quickly swelled into a much larger struggle against autocracy.”
Reposted by Lee Drake
This is a wild stat. It's a ratio of 15-20 observers per ICE/CBP agent.
The entire adult population of Hennepin County is about 1 million. This suggests 6-7% of adults in the county have undergone some measure of observation training.
Crazy level of community activation.
The entire adult population of Hennepin County is about 1 million. This suggests 6-7% of adults in the county have undergone some measure of observation training.
Crazy level of community activation.
January 26, 2026 at 6:06 AM
This is a wild stat. It's a ratio of 15-20 observers per ICE/CBP agent.
The entire adult population of Hennepin County is about 1 million. This suggests 6-7% of adults in the county have undergone some measure of observation training.
Crazy level of community activation.
The entire adult population of Hennepin County is about 1 million. This suggests 6-7% of adults in the county have undergone some measure of observation training.
Crazy level of community activation.
Reposted by Lee Drake
The reason why they're still pressing ahead is not because they have some secret plan, but the pretty classic Umberto Eco fascist-folly - because of their ideology they are "constitutionally incapable of objectively evaluating the force of the enemy."
January 25, 2026 at 10:51 PM
The reason why they're still pressing ahead is not because they have some secret plan, but the pretty classic Umberto Eco fascist-folly - because of their ideology they are "constitutionally incapable of objectively evaluating the force of the enemy."
I know it looks bad at one week, but you’ve got to zoom out at least a year, and… shit.
January 26, 2026 at 4:12 AM
I know it looks bad at one week, but you’ve got to zoom out at least a year, and… shit.
Reposted by Lee Drake
I just stopped by a chain restaurant in Minneapolis that had its doors locked. A little kid was playing with toys inside.
At the drive thru, I asked why the dining area is closed.
"It's because what's happening here," the mother said, with a pained look on her face.
This is a city draped in fear.
At the drive thru, I asked why the dining area is closed.
"It's because what's happening here," the mother said, with a pained look on her face.
This is a city draped in fear.
January 25, 2026 at 10:51 PM
I just stopped by a chain restaurant in Minneapolis that had its doors locked. A little kid was playing with toys inside.
At the drive thru, I asked why the dining area is closed.
"It's because what's happening here," the mother said, with a pained look on her face.
This is a city draped in fear.
At the drive thru, I asked why the dining area is closed.
"It's because what's happening here," the mother said, with a pained look on her face.
This is a city draped in fear.
Reposted by Lee Drake
for a specific type of beltway journo, nothing is real other than comms
“Straight cringe” and it’s about the state smearing a murdered person as a terrorist.
This woman is a parody of Beltway journalists.
This woman is a parody of Beltway journalists.
January 25, 2026 at 10:42 PM
for a specific type of beltway journo, nothing is real other than comms
Reposted by Lee Drake
You don't murder people for using the word "kidnapper" (which, I'll add, is an accurate description of grabbing people and locking them up without due process.)
If you do, you're a fascist.
If you do, you're a fascist.
Bovino: "When politicians, community leaders, & some journalists engage in that heated rhetoric we keep talking about, when they make the choice to vilify law enforcement calling law enforcement 'Gestapo' or using the term 'kidnapping,' that is a choice & there are actions & consequences."
January 25, 2026 at 8:34 PM
You don't murder people for using the word "kidnapper" (which, I'll add, is an accurate description of grabbing people and locking them up without due process.)
If you do, you're a fascist.
If you do, you're a fascist.
Reposted by Lee Drake
The struggle between authoritarianism and liberal democracy is an enduring part of American history. We are currently living through another chapter of this long running conflict. We've made progress towards being a multiracial democracy, but democracy has never been universally accepted here 6/x
January 25, 2026 at 6:22 PM
The struggle between authoritarianism and liberal democracy is an enduring part of American history. We are currently living through another chapter of this long running conflict. We've made progress towards being a multiracial democracy, but democracy has never been universally accepted here 6/x
Reposted by Lee Drake
Statement from the National Basketball Players Association:
January 25, 2026 at 8:57 PM
Statement from the National Basketball Players Association:
Reposted by Lee Drake
Public executions will continue until the citizenry is silent.
Q: Between your agency and ICE, we've known seen 2 people shot and killed with 17 days. Do either of you plan to take any accountability?
BOVINO: You're correct. Two suspects have been shot. And suspects that assault or threaten a law enforcement officer's life, it goes back to poor choices.
BOVINO: You're correct. Two suspects have been shot. And suspects that assault or threaten a law enforcement officer's life, it goes back to poor choices.
January 25, 2026 at 8:37 PM
Public executions will continue until the citizenry is silent.
One negative of being on BlueSky is I just don’t understand right wing lingo any more. I’m not sure exactly how counts as a “high IQ people” and why it has anything to do with noise.
Whistles are now WMDs, according to the "high IQ" crowd.
January 25, 2026 at 8:29 PM
One negative of being on BlueSky is I just don’t understand right wing lingo any more. I’m not sure exactly how counts as a “high IQ people” and why it has anything to do with noise.
Reposted by Lee Drake
CBP chief Bovino has confirmed that the officers who executed Alex Pretti in the street yesterday are not only *not on administrative leave,* they have all been reassigned to other jurisdictions and are all on the street today.
This is totally unheard of for any officer-involved shooting
This is totally unheard of for any officer-involved shooting
January 25, 2026 at 8:01 PM
CBP chief Bovino has confirmed that the officers who executed Alex Pretti in the street yesterday are not only *not on administrative leave,* they have all been reassigned to other jurisdictions and are all on the street today.
This is totally unheard of for any officer-involved shooting
This is totally unheard of for any officer-involved shooting
Reposted by Lee Drake
A reminder that they defunded the police that target white collar criminals and corruption — at the exact same that time they lavishly funded the police that killed Alex Pretti.
January 25, 2026 at 8:08 PM
A reminder that they defunded the police that target white collar criminals and corruption — at the exact same that time they lavishly funded the police that killed Alex Pretti.
Reposted by Lee Drake
But these fascists, like many fascists and other authoritarians, confuse the pageantry of violence for power - they imagine that the state with armed men walking the streets is strong. But only a weak government needs to put armed men in the streets to exert power.
A strong government has no need.
A strong government has no need.
January 25, 2026 at 7:40 PM
But these fascists, like many fascists and other authoritarians, confuse the pageantry of violence for power - they imagine that the state with armed men walking the streets is strong. But only a weak government needs to put armed men in the streets to exert power.
A strong government has no need.
A strong government has no need.
Reposted by Lee Drake
Reposted by Lee Drake
hard to fathom. this wasn't a crackdown, it was a nationwide massacre.
"As many as 30,000 people could have been killed in the streets of Iran on Jan. 8 and 9 alone, two senior officials of the country’s Ministry of Health told TIME—indicating a dramatic surge in the death toll."
time.com/7357635/more...
time.com/7357635/more...
Iran Protest Death Toll Could Top 30,000: Local Officials
According to two senior officials of the country’s Ministry of Health who spoke with TIME.
time.com
January 25, 2026 at 5:44 PM
hard to fathom. this wasn't a crackdown, it was a nationwide massacre.
Reposted by Lee Drake
hey everybody lifelong tech expert here
> "system crash” deleted nearly two weeks of surveillance footage from inside the facility
that's not how anything works they're lying and destroying evidence hope that helps
> "system crash” deleted nearly two weeks of surveillance footage from inside the facility
that's not how anything works they're lying and destroying evidence hope that helps
And what is happening inside ICE detention centers? 404 Media also learned that the federal government claimed that the day after it was sued for allegedly abusing detainees at an ICE detention center, a “system crash” deleted nearly two weeks of surveillance footage from inside the facility.
ICE Says Critical Evidence In Abuse Case Was Lost In 'System Crash' a Day After It Was Sued
The government also said "we don't have resources" to retain all footage and that plaintiffs could supply "endless hard drives that we could save things to."
www.404media.co
January 25, 2026 at 5:26 PM
hey everybody lifelong tech expert here
> "system crash” deleted nearly two weeks of surveillance footage from inside the facility
that's not how anything works they're lying and destroying evidence hope that helps
> "system crash” deleted nearly two weeks of surveillance footage from inside the facility
that's not how anything works they're lying and destroying evidence hope that helps
Reposted by Lee Drake
LA folks in Echo Park/Silverlake: ICE is staging at Vons on Alvarado, and have kidnapped vendors on Sunset and Alvarado and Sunset and Echo.
January 25, 2026 at 6:58 PM
LA folks in Echo Park/Silverlake: ICE is staging at Vons on Alvarado, and have kidnapped vendors on Sunset and Alvarado and Sunset and Echo.
Reposted by Lee Drake
White supremacy requires us to remain loyal to our whiteness in order to be afforded the protections of said whiteness. You stand with immigrants, Black and brown folks? You forfeit those privileges and no longer receive those protections, and you will perhaps be shot in the street as a result
They are telling us in unequivocal terms that if you show solidarity with immigrants who are in the literal crosshairs of Trump/MAGA, you're risking a death sentence.
newrepublic.com/article/2055...
newrepublic.com/article/2055...
January 25, 2026 at 6:48 PM
White supremacy requires us to remain loyal to our whiteness in order to be afforded the protections of said whiteness. You stand with immigrants, Black and brown folks? You forfeit those privileges and no longer receive those protections, and you will perhaps be shot in the street as a result
Reposted by Lee Drake
NIN subreddit knows what’s up tho
January 25, 2026 at 6:43 PM
NIN subreddit knows what’s up tho
Reposted by Lee Drake
A US Attorney's office is using tactics that would make the sleaziest ambulance-chaser blush with embarrassment.
Update: In the evidence preservation lawsuit, the current Civil Chief at the Minnesota U.S. Attorney's Office (who appears to be Ana Voss, based on the letter), refused to accept email service of the lawsuit last night and then refused to accept in-person service until Monday.
Ridiculous behavior.
Ridiculous behavior.
January 25, 2026 at 6:30 PM
A US Attorney's office is using tactics that would make the sleaziest ambulance-chaser blush with embarrassment.
On Being American
DHS and The Soul of the United States
open.substack.com
January 25, 2026 at 6:27 PM
Reposted by Lee Drake
ICE took the flower man in Echo Park 40 minutes ago. He’s at this corner every day. I’ve bought flowers from the man and woman here for anniversaries and birthdays. Lemmy loves to smell them whenever we walk by in the mornings. I was just at the street corner 15 minutes before it happened. Fuck.
January 25, 2026 at 5:50 PM
ICE took the flower man in Echo Park 40 minutes ago. He’s at this corner every day. I’ve bought flowers from the man and woman here for anniversaries and birthdays. Lemmy loves to smell them whenever we walk by in the mornings. I was just at the street corner 15 minutes before it happened. Fuck.