Federal prosecutors have not yet publicly released additional details about the charges or identified the defendants named in the indictment.
A federal grand jury has indicted three individuals in connection with the assault of Turning Point USA reporter Savanah Hernandez during an anti-ICE protest in Minneapolis earlier this month.
Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche announced on Wednesday afternoon that Christopher, Deyanna, and Paige Ostrouchko had been indicted. "Hernandez was allegedly surrounded, physically assaulted, and shoved to the ground — simply because she was identified by the defendants as a conservative journalist. That is NOT 'peaceful protest.' These deplorable actions as charged in the indictment will not be tolerated in America, and this Department of Justice will always punish unhinged acts of political violence," Blanche said.
https://twitter.com/DAGToddBlanche/status/2049578866176393378?s=20
The incident happened on April 11 outside the Whipple Federal Building in Minneapolis, where protesters had gathered over a local U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement office that also functions as a detention facility.
Video from the scene showed Hernandez being surrounded by protesters while attempting to report. Demonstrators were seen crowding around her, yelling obscenities, blowing horns near her face, and waving adult novelty products as she tried to move away.
At one point in the footage, Hernandez can be heard telling one protester, “get away from me” after the individual remained close to her. Moments later, the protester pushed her, causing her to fall into a wired fence.
As the confrontation continued, Hernandez repeatedly shouted, “Stop touching me!” while additional individuals appeared to close in around her.
Video also shows Hernandez being pushed forward onto the concrete by an unidentified man as she attempted to leave the area. Protesters continued shoving her as she tried to stand up and walk away, with footage showing her being knocked down again.
“Leave me, I am trying to leave!” Hernandez shouted during the altercation. Some individuals present at the scene later claimed they attempted to intervene and help Hernandez leave safely, saying they prevented others from striking her.
Following the incident, Hernandez posted on X that she sustained minor injuries, including scrapes to her legs and soreness in her neck and back. The FBI announced within hours of the footage circulating online that it had opened an investigation into the assault.
This is a breaking news story.
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