Who is Isabelle Brourman? The Artist Whose Sketching Board Blocked a Federal Riot Control Round in Minneapolis

Isabelle Brourman is a fixture in the courtroom, where her work is defined by the intense social and political friction she documents.

While she has gained significant attention for 'bearing witness' to Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) arrests and immigration proceedings in New York City, Brourman frames her sketches as historical records rather than direct acts of protest.

However, that line between observer and participant blurred during a recent Minneapolis protest against federal agents; there, Brourman experienced a harrowing career milestone when her sketching board was struck by a federal riot control round intended for the demonstrators.

Who is Isabelle Brourman?

Isabelle Brourman is a New York-based mixed-media artist who rose to prominence for her unconventional and expressive approach to courtroom sketching.

Moving beyond traditional realism, she employs a style she describes as 'Tasmanian-devil glamour,' blending vibrant colors, spontaneous marks, and overheard dialogue to capture the emotional tension of high-profile legal battles.

She first gained major attention for her work during the Depp v. Heard trial and has since documented the legal proceedings of significant figures like Donald Trump and Luigi Mangione.

More recently, Brourman has focused her lens on the social and political friction surrounding immigration, documenting ICE arrests and court proceedings at 26 Federal Plaza in New York City.

Her practice is deeply rooted in the concept of 'bearing witness,' using her art as a historical record of events where cameras are often prohibited.

Brourman is known for her work that is full of chaos, frenetic energy, rough sketches with handwritten notes depicting the scene she is witnessing. This commitment to documentation recently placed her in a harrowing situation.

Isabelle Brourman Blocked a Federal Riot Control Round WIth Sketching Board

Brourman's commitment was next level when she went to document the demonstration in Minneapolis against ICE following the death of two American citizens who were fatally shot by federal agents, Renee Good and Alex Pretti.

Brourman was on the ground sketching in real time the situation in Minneapolis during the protest and countless confrontations between civilians and armed uniformed ICE agents.

A video posted by Strarring America shows the harrowing scene Brourman experienced. On Instagram, they captioned the video: 'Minneapolis, MN, January 24, 2026 — Federal officers indiscriminately shot chemical and riot control weapons at those gathered at the scene of Alex Pretti's killing, including @loveizzystudio, a member of the press.'

While observing, Brourman was fired by an agent with a riot control weapon, which she instinctively blocked with her sketching board.

Fortunately, the artist was not hurt, but her board and sketches was damage due to the impact of what appeared to be ammunition.

Watch the video here:

Brourman's story wa also covered by Josie Lewis art and said that ICE agents put a hole in her board and wrecked her papers.

Furthermore, Brourman also drew during a recent protest at the Whipple Building in St. Paul, even during the coldest time. During that time, she captured the tackling and point-blank pepper-spraying of photographer John Abernethy.

Despite the harrowing nature of the incident that Bourman experienced, the artist continues to view her presence in these volatile spaces as a vital form of creative nonfiction and social commentary.