AdvertisementPretti was a legal gun owner who was licensed to carry a concealed weapon. Minnesota law allows permit holders to carry firearms in public, including at protests. The government’s claim that he was armed and provoking violence is at odds with videos and witness statements circulating publicly. The New York Democrat argued the message that is being sent is solely political: “What Secretary Noem is saying is not that you can’t do these things, is not that you can’t be armed, is not that you can’t attack your government. This is not the America that we believe in.

Source: Huffington Post January 26, 2026 15:09 UTC