Vietnamese restaurant owner shelters tear-gassed protesters with hot pho

On January 24, Minneapolis erupted in chaos after ICE agents shot and killed civilian Alex Pretti on Nicollet Avenue. Peaceful protesters and journalists scattered as federal agents deployed tear gas and projectiles to clear the street.

Journalist Samie Solina from KARE 11 News and her videographer Mitchell Yehl were caught in the cloud. Eyes burning, gasping for air, they spotted My Huong Kitchen nearby and ducked inside.

Tracy Wong, the restaurant's owner, didn't hesitate. She ushered them in with "come, come," asked if they had water, and wrapped Solina in a hug. "I am so sorry," Wong said, tears streaming down her face. Within minutes, more people — protesters, bystanders, anyone seeking refuge — filtered through the door. Wong kept calling out: "Come in, come in. This is my home."

What happened next became the kind of moment that travels. Wong moved to her kitchen and started making pho. "Let me make you a pho," she told her unexpected guests. "Tell everyone to come in here and be safe."

For hours, My Huong Kitchen became a sanctuary. Solina set up her camera in the window and continued reporting live to the station, broadcasting from inside the restaurant while documenting the scene outside. The warmth — literal and otherwise — of Wong's space held steady against the chaos.

Wong had run this restaurant for 13 years. She'd never seen anything like what unfolded outside her window that day. "It makes my heart go beat-beat-beat-beat," she told Solina, her voice shaking. But she knew what to do: feed people, warm them up, keep them safe. "I want everyone to come in here, get some hot tea, get some hot water, something to eat. It's on me; it's no problem."

For immigrant and BIPOC restaurant owners in Minneapolis, the presence of ICE had already created a climate of fear — workers staying home, families anxious about their safety. Wong's own nervousness was visible. Yet she opened her doors anyway.

The video of Wong ushering people to safety went viral. Messages flooded her Facebook page. On Monday, Wong posted: "Thank you from the bottom of my heart for all the love and kindness you've shown. I have always tried to help others without expecting anything in return, so I am truly overwhelmed by the support being shown to our business."

Solina's closing line in her broadcast said it plainly: "This is Tracy, who I think a lot of people here feel like they owe her a debt of gratitude."

What happens when a community faces tear gas and violence isn't predetermined. Wong chose what she could control — shelter, warmth, food, dignity — and that choice rippled outward.