NRI PULSE STAFF REPORT
Minneapolis, MN, January 28, 2026: A small Indian restaurant in Minneapolis has found itself at the center of a national conversation after its owners distributed free samosas and meals to protesters demonstrating against U.S. immigration enforcement actions in the city.
Curry Corner, a popular Indian eatery in Northeast Minneapolis, temporarily shut down its storefront in recent days, citing safety concerns amid heightened tensions surrounding Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) activity and related protests. Instead of operating as usual, the restaurant’s owners and staff took food into downtown Minneapolis, where large crowds had gathered, and handed out free samosas and meals to demonstrators.
Videos and photographs of the gesture quickly went viral on social media, showing Curry Corner staff offering food to protesters. In posts shared on Instagram, the restaurant said it had closed “to protect our team” but emphasized that it still wanted to “support our community,” adding that it had decided to “take Curry Corner into downtown Minneapolis.”
The protests were part of a broader wave of demonstrations opposing federal immigration enforcement practices, with participants expressing concern about raids, detentions, and the broader impact on immigrant communities. Curry Corner’s action was widely interpreted by supporters as an act of solidarity, reflecting the restaurant’s roots in an immigrant community and its desire to stand with others during a tense moment.
Amid the closure, Curry Corner also launched a GoFundMe campaign to support its staff, drawing donations from customers and community members who said they wanted to help the restaurant weather the disruption. The campaign has almost reached its $45,000 goal.
Cover photo credit: @Citizen/Instagram.
