I survived Antifa violence — now Minnesota is repeating dangerous left-wing mistakes
In February 2024, an Antifa radical, consumed with hatred for my conservative policies and Christian faith, detonated an improvised explosive device (IED) outside my attorney general’s office in Montgomery, Ala. The IED was packed with nails and metal shrapnel, projectiles designed to tear through flesh, shatter bone and kill anyone within the blast radius. Had the device been placed just a few feet closer, or had staff been arriving for work at that moment, we would have been planning funerals instead of counting blessings.
Thankfully, no one was injured that day and the perpetrator was caught, but the attack represented something larger and more dangerous that is rapidly becoming normalized: a culture where political violence masquerades as legitimate political speech.
Sadly, civic leaders who are called to emulate a higher societal standard have implicitly condoned this new brand of impassioned activism. In many cases, they're quite pleased to see it, convinced that the sincerity of their feelings justifies whatever actions their allies take, regardless of lawfulness.
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Unrestrained by ethical guardrails or even common sense, these political mercenaries soldier on to the next melodrama, eager to throw themselves into the fray to secure media attention for a cause they're convinced is noble and the public affirmation that scratches their itch for attention. In recent weeks, that means they're focused squarely on Minneapolis, where federal officials are investigating a widespread network of taxpayer fraud in a scheme conducted primarily by Somali immigrants who obtained millions in government contracts to operate nonexistent childcare centers.
When ICE began enforcement actions related to the investigation, including a raid that resulted in the death of Renee Good when she drove her car into a law enforcement officer, Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey told ICE to "get the f--- out of Minneapolis." And Sunday, on ABC’s "This Week," Sen. Amy Klobuchar, D-Minn., responded to the death of Alex Pretti by proclaiming, "My message is simple: [Immigration and Customs Enforcement] is making us not more safe, they're making us less safe, and they need to get out of our state."
The combustible rhetoric, which frames law enforcement as the enemy rather than those breaking the law or interfering with its enforcement, clearly inflames an already tense situation.
It's hard to witness Democratic officials like Frey repeat the same mistakes that nearly got me killed. These liberal standard-bearers are establishing permission structures that signal to emotionally immature activists that whatever tantrum they want to throw is acceptable, appropriate and justified. As someone who narrowly escaped deadly political violence, I know the ramifications of such callous disregard for civility and the rule of law, and I'm watching those same corrosive conditions take root in Minneapolis.
Recently, an unruly mob stormed Cities Church during worship, forcing parents to shield their wailing children as demonstrators swarmed the sanctuary and belligerently accused the pastor of moonlighting as a field director for ICE. Former CNN anchor Don Lemon joined the chaos, livestreaming the intimidation and lending it legitimacy. These weren't protesters. By Lemon's own admission, they were conducting "Operation Pull-Up," a deliberate tactical operation to confront Christians and interfere with religious practice.
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The response from Democratic officials was predictable. Because the mob claimed moral authority, the illegality of their terror was downplayed or ignored. The media insisted it was just a "peaceful protest" by concerned citizens. But this is precisely what the FACE Act is designed to prosecute: using force to "injure, intimidate or interfere" with people exercising their religious freedom. The Biden administration weaponized this very law to target pro-life advocates peacefully praying outside abortion clinics. What happened in Minneapolis is the textbook scenario this law was actually meant to address.
I've seen this pattern before. It started with the demonstrations after George Floyd's death — events that honest observers remember for what they became: excuses to riot, loot and intimidate under the guise of progressive moralism and racial justice. When incendiary language from politicians went unchecked in the summer of 2020, entire Minneapolis neighborhoods burned to the ground, causing millions in property damage for innocent people, many of whom were immigrant or minority entrepreneurs, as activists went wild.
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We cannot allow this mass chaos again. The effects are too real and too devastating.
President Trump was elected with a mandate to restore immigration sanity, and a key part of keeping his promise is bringing to justice those who abuse our system and exploit our generosity. In the case of the Minneapolis fraud scheme, he’s doing exactly what he said he would do.
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The American people deserve leaders who safeguard their rights, not neglect them when it's politically expedient. An embrace of radical political tactics benefits no one, especially those at the bottom of the economic ladder or those simply wishing to express their views freely.
Having survived an attack by the very forces now mobilizing in Minneapolis, I can say with certainty: there's no good response to extremist intimidation but unshakeable resolve – to take it seriously, to prosecute it fully when it occurs and to take every measure necessary to protect law-abiding citizens from terror and harassment.
As my state’s chief law enforcement officer, I know firsthand that violent criminals, including those motivated by political extremism, will only be deterred when they have reason to believe legitimate consequences for lawbreaking could await them.
It's incumbent upon all leaders to stand for the rule of law and reject inflammatory language before more offices are bombed, more churches are stormed and more communities are destroyed. The temperature is rising. Those in positions of authority must decide whether they'll enable the chaos or stand against it.
I know which side I'm on.