A Somali American woman, Nasra Ahmed, 23, who went viral for describing Somali American identity as “bananas and rice” in a confused and contradictory rant, was among 16 people arrested in Minneapolis for allegedly assaulting, resisting, or impeding federal agents amid escalated ICE enforcement and protests.
Reacting to the situation, AG Pam Bondi announced the arrests on X while in Minneapolis, emphasizing more would follow and that nothing would hinder DOJ enforcement under President Trump. The arrests occurred in violent clashes following the fatal shootings of Alex Pretti and Renee Nicole Good earlier in the month by ICE agents.
Announcing the arrests, Pam Bondi declared, “MINNESOTA ARRESTS — I am on the ground in Minneapolis today. Federal agents have arrested 16 Minnesota rioters for allegedly assaulting federal law enforcement — people who have been resisting and impeding our federal law enforcement agents.”
“We expect more arrests to come. I’ve said it before, and I’ll say it again: NOTHING will stop President Trump and this Department of Justice from enforcing the law,” she said, promising that order would be restored to the lawless city.
Pointing out the irony, one user quipped, “🚨 BREAKING: Nasra Ahmed, the ‘bananas and rice’ Somali, has been ARRESTED by DHS at the direction of Pam Bondi for obstructing ICE operations. This is just too perfect 🤣 Ahmed LIED about being brutalized by ICE. Notice how the band-aid is gone and there’s no wound! Loser!”
For context, starting off her ramblings, the Somali woman began, “Um, so I’m Somali. I’m proud to be Somali. To me, being Somali isn’t just eating bananas with rice. It’s it’s a lot. It’s like, it’s a, it’s a, it’s an interesting thing.”
Stumbling over the words, she stated, “It’s a. It’s very hard to describe what means to be Somali and what it means to be American, but it’s like a cultural fusion. It’s kind of like the bananas and rice, you know, people don’t really see like, you know, it’s a it’s, you know, people don’t think, ‘Oh, you can eat bananas with rice.'”
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Struggling to wrap up these confusing comments, the woman stated, “But that’s what it’s like to be Somali and American. It’s like that combination of banana and rice, but you’re gonna get what I mean.” When the clip went viral on social media, users criticized the incoherent comments.
“Valedictorian at Quality Learing Center,” one user quipped. Another joked, “Somali interpreter here: The message she is trying to convey is that somli people are similar to but not limited in likeness of bananas and rice.”
“*whatever you say, don’t say being Somali is about bananas and rice* *try to think* ‘being Somali is about bananas and rice'” a sardonic post read. Another conservative said, “It’s kind of impressive how absolutely nothing their spokespeople say helps them.”
Watch the clip here:
One woman reacted: “God is this woman ever obnoxious! She is equivalent to our Valley Girl! Is this Jussie Smolett’s sister or cousin? We are just being played and I wish we could get these people the hell out of our Country!”
Featured image from embedded video