Viral video posted on January 25, 2026 by commentator Benny Johnson claims that journalist-activist James O’Keefe was “hunted” in downtown Minneapolis while covering unrest tied to anti-ICE protests. In the clip, Johnson frames Minneapolis as the epicenter of a broader confrontation over federal immigration enforcement and portrays the city as a testing ground for organized street pressure against federal authorities and independent media.
Central to the video are O’Keefe’s own allegations: he says he and his team were surrounded by a crowd, pelted with ice bottles, followed to their hotel, and threatened via text message with a one-hour ultimatum to leave the city. O’Keefe also claims the group tracking them had access to unusually detailed vehicle information—down to a license plate—and suggests coordination that goes beyond spontaneous protest activity. The video further implies local or state-level complicity, though it provides no independently verified proof of official involvement beyond the commentary and screenshots shown.
The claims arrive amid a documented surge of tension in Minneapolis following deadly encounters involving federal immigration agents. Major outlets have reported on the killing of ICU nurse Alex Pretti on January 24, 2026, after which protests intensified, and on earlier clashes and legal battles over how federal agents have interacted with demonstrators and observers in the Twin Cities.
At this stage, the video’s most serious allegations—an organized attempt on O’Keefe’s life, coordinated “autonomous zones,” and state-enabled tracking—should be treated as unverified claims pending corroboration from law enforcement records, additional video evidence, or independent reporting. What is clear is that Minneapolis is experiencing a highly volatile moment, with escalating protests, competing narratives about public safety, and intensifying disputes between federal operations and local/state leaders.
Source:
Benny Johnson video , Midtown Tribune news