Jon Stewart has recently voiced his opinion regarding the tragic death of Alex Pretti, a 37-year-old nurse who was shot and killed during an ICE protest in Minneapolis. This incident marks the second fatality in the city this month.
On January 24, Pretti participated in a protest that escalated when an officer allegedly shoved a woman. Pretti intervened and was subsequently pepper-sprayed by an officer before being subdued by several individuals.
There are varying accounts regarding whether Pretti was armed. According to the Department of Homeland Security, Pretti was holding a gun, prompting a federal agent to shoot him, while eyewitnesses dispute this claim.
Prominent figures, including the Obamas and Clintons, have expressed their sorrow over Pretti’s death and criticized ICE’s conduct.
Other celebrities such as Mandy Moore and Chrissy Teigen have also expressed their thoughts on the incident, and Jon Stewart has now joined the conversation.
During Monday night’s episode of The Daily Show, Stewart accused the White House of fabricating details about the events leading up to Pretti’s death, highlighting available footage that seems to contradict their narrative.
“They’re lying. We saw it. That’s how brazen they lie when they know we’ve seen the truth,” the TV host passionately stated. “Imagine how they lie when there’s no evidence to contradict them.”
Stewart further commented on the fact that Pretti was seen with his cellphone during the confrontation with officers, and numerous witnesses recorded the incident, saying: “Maybe that explains why Alex Pretti really was a threat. Because he was brandishing a weapon. A handheld, aluminum, 1080p, 60fps weapon of mass illumination.”
“Because there is nothing more dangerous to a regime predicated on lies than witnesses who capture the truth,” he added.
One Twitter user echoed Stewart’s comments, describing cellphones as ‘the scariest thing in America right now’ — rather than guns.
They elaborated: “Because they can shoot someone… then lie about it with a straight face — even when the video exists. That’s not ‘messaging.’ That’s a system trained to overwrite reality.”
“And Stewart nails the real threat: witnesses. A phone turns their talking points into evidence. It turns ‘trust us’ into show us,” they concluded.
However, some believe that having video evidence does not make a difference since the Trump administration often finds ways to circumvent the footage.
“We’ve caught the Trump administration DOZENS of times, real red flag line in the sand stuff,” someone remarked. “Nothing happens. No change, no accountability. None.”