Up First from NPR
Minnesota Protests, Zelenskyy Slams Europe In Davos, Winter Storm Approaches
23 Jan 2026
Chapter 1: What is the main topic discussed in this episode?
Residents of the Twin Cities are pushing back against an immigration crackdown they say is growing more aggressive.
Chapter 2: What are the reasons behind the Minnesota protests?
Today there's a planned general strike as the Trump administration appears to be taking a harder line against protesters.
I'm Laila Fadil, that's A. Martinez, and this is Up First from NPR News. At the World Economic Forum, Ukraine's president used his moment in Davos to call out European leaders and implore the continent to stop relying on the United States.
Europe looks lost trying to convince the U.S.
Chapter 3: How is Zelenskyy challenging European leaders in Davos?
president to change, but he will not change.
So what is he asking for his allies in Europe to do next?
And a massive winter storm is threatening large parts of the U.S. this weekend.
Chapter 4: What urgent message does Zelenskyy convey to Europe?
Where is it going to hit the hardest and how are states preparing?
Chapter 5: What preparations are being made for the upcoming winter storm?
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Chapter 6: How are Minnesota residents responding to immigration crackdowns?
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Faith leaders, unions, and citizens in Minnesota's Twin Cities are pushing back today against one of the largest and most aggressive campaigns yet targeting undocumented immigrants.
Many businesses are closed and there are planned protests throughout the day. It follows the arrest on Thursday by the Trump administration of three people involved in a protest that disrupted a church service in St. Paul last Sunday.
Chapter 7: What specific actions are being taken during the general strike?
NPR's Meg Anderson is in Minneapolis. Meg, what can we expect to see today?
Chapter 8: What are the expected impacts of the winter storm across the U.S.?
Yeah, so there's a general strike. Organizers are encouraging community members to stay home from work, to not shop or dine out. Many local businesses will be closed. And there are going to be several demonstrations, including a march and a rally in downtown Minneapolis this afternoon. It's also extremely cold here, even by Minnesota standards.
Afternoon temperatures will be around negative 10 degrees. But, you know, given the strong community response we've seen here so far, I wouldn't be surprised if a lot of people still show up. And you said negative 10, right?
Negative 10. Yes, that's right. Okay. I mentioned earlier the arrests of church protesters. What can you tell us about that?
Yeah, so last Sunday, protesters entered a church in St. Paul because one of the pastors there is a local official with Immigration and Customs Enforcement, or ICE. Federal officials said the three protesters were arrested on charges related to a conspiracy to deprive other people of their rights, in this case, religious rights.
One of the people arrested is a civil rights lawyer and a prominent local activist. And these arrests seem to be part of a shifting, harder line the administration is taking with some protesters. Here's Vice President J.D. Vance. He visited Minneapolis yesterday.
If you go and storm a church, if you go and insult a federal law enforcement officer, we're going to try very hard. We're going to use every resource of the federal government to put you in prison. Respect people's rights.
Vance drew a distinction between violent and nonviolent protests, but videos of that church protest show people marching and chanting, it does not appear violent. And the vast majority of protests here have been peaceful.
Yeah, it's true. But I have seen cases of immigration officers deploying tear gas and pepper spray and arresting protesters.
Yeah, that's right. So, you know, this week, Gregory Bovino, the head of Customs and Border Protection, he blamed those instances of violence on what he called, quote, an influx of anarchist protesters. But we are hearing more and more cases of people reporting aggressive behavior from Immigration officers. Some U.S.
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