Anti-ICE activists are under fire for recreating the iconic Iwo Jima flag-raising photograph — substituting the Minnesota state flag for the American flag — in a video posted to X on Monday.
The video was originally posted by Anton Treuer, a professor of Ojibwe at Bemidji State University and self-described “racial equity educator,” in apparent opposition to increased ICE operations in the state. The 11-second clip shows six activists posed in stances mirroring the six U.S. Marines who raised the flag atop Mount Suribachi induring the Battle of Iwo Jima in World War II. (RELATED: Minnesota Anti-ICE Activists Get $3.3 Million From Soros-Backed Charity You’ve Never Heard Of)
The video features patriotic instrumental music as the Minnesota flag waves in the wind. Treuer captioned the post, “We stand for justice and a future worth fighting for,” tagged with “#MNStrong” and “#iceout.”
We stand for justice and a future worth fighting for!#MNStrong #iceout #Minnesota #peace #solidarity pic.twitter.com/mE8tdSoYMS
— Anton Treuer (@antontreuer) February 2, 2026
The post drew sharp criticism on X. User @reddit_lies wrote, “This is a mockery of Iwo Jima and the men who died there. I despise these theater kids.” Minnesota commentator Dustin Grage piled on, writing, “I’m once again calling for the deportation of all theater kids.”
Others echoed the sentiment. User @SmythRadio, who identified himself as a Marine, replied, “As a Marine I find this offensive and disrespectful.”
Treuer’s original post had replies restricted at the time of publication and had accumulated nearly 600 retweets compared to just 166 likes — a ratio suggesting the post was being shared largely for criticism rather than support.