The sister of a UW-Stevens Point soccer player arrested along with the siblings’ mother and father in Minneapolis has spoken out strongly against their alleged assault on a conservative journalist during an anti-ICE protest.
Desiree Ostroushko strongly condemned the actions of her father, mother, and sister following their alleged violent assault on conservative journalist Savanah Hernandez outside the Whipple ICE Facility in Minneapolis.
Hernandez, a reporter for TPUSA Frontlines, was filming protesters on a public street when members of the Ostroushko family allegedly swarmed her. According to Hernandez and video footage, Chris Ostroushko, his wife DeYanna, and their daughter Paige, who plays soccer at the University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point, blasted whistles in her ears, screamed obscenities, pushed her, and slammed her to the concrete.
Hernandez has identified the family members by name and stated she is pressing charges. Paige Ostroushko was briefly detained but released, while her boyfriend, 20-year-old Lorenzo Amadeo Garcia, was arrested on probable cause for obstructing police. Law enforcement has confirmed that charges against the family are forthcoming.
On Sunday, Desiree Ostroushko — Chris and DeYanna’s second daughter and Paige’s sister — took to Facebook to make her position crystal clear. In a detailed public statement, she wrote:
“I do not align with my family’s actions in this situation at all. I don’t agree with what was done, I don’t support it, and I don’t stand behind it in any way. Violence is never acceptable to me, no matter the circumstances, opinions, or political beliefs involved. What happened to Savanah was wrong. Plain and simple. Everyone has a right to speak, to express themselves, and to be heard without fear of being attacked. That’s something I will always stand on.”
She continued: I also want to be honest if politics is going to turn into violence, hatred, or harming other people, I will remove myself completely. I will not be part of that, even if it means creating distance from my own family. My values matter, and I refuse to compromise them.
This isn’t easy to say, but it’s important. I believe in respect, accountability, and doing what’s right even when it’s uncomfortable or painful.
I stand for peace. I stand for people being able to use their voice safely. And I will always stand on that.
In a follow-up comment on the same post, Desiree added that her disagreement with her family is not new. “I haven’t aligned with them or their behavior in years,” she wrote. “I’ve seen and experienced enough firsthand to know what they’re capable of, and that’s why I’ve chosen to distance myself. What you’re seeing now is not a reflection of me, my values, or the life I’m building. I stand firmly against it, and I always have.”
She also described being publicly and privately put down by her father for not sharing the family’s political beliefs.
The statement quickly spread on social media, including on X, where it was shared widely with a mix of praise for Desiree’s courage and skepticism from some users questioning motives.
Desiree Ostroushko’s public repudiation marks a significant rift within the family. Her parents and sister have embraced online personas centered on far-left activism, while Desiree has deliberately chosen a different path. Desiree’s Facebook post remains public and has drawn significant attention.
