In a concerning display of hostility towards the press, independent journalist Nick Sortor was violently attacked and robbed while reporting from Minneapolis’ Cedar-Riverside neighborhood, an area known for its significant Somali immigrant population and sometimes referred to as “Little Mogadishu.” The incident occurred on the evening of Sunday, January 18, 2026.
Sortor was conducting on-the-ground reporting when he was approached by a woman who seized his camera equipment, valued at approximately $1,000. The equipment was taken directly from his possession, and in an attempt to retrieve his property, Sortor pursued the suspects on foot. The suspects fled in a red Kia K5 sedan, with the Minnesota license plate ZKG 007. During the escape, Sortor’s hand became caught in the vehicle’s door handle, and he was dragged across an icy sidewalk for several feet, posing a serious risk to his physical safety.
The situation escalated when Sortor found himself surrounded by individuals he described as masked agitators. Despite the public nature of the attack, bystanders present did not offer assistance. The suspects allegedly continued to pursue Sortor’s vehicle for roughly 30 minutes afterward, honking and creating a threatening environment. The New York Post reported these details based on accounts of the incident. Sortor shared his experience on social media platform X shortly after the attack, expressing his frustration and calling for action.
Sortor sustained injuries during the encounter, primarily to his hand from being dragged, but reported no serious harm beyond scrapes. Witnesses captured portions of the incident on video, with audio including shouts of “She took Nick’s camera!” as the events unfolded. The getaway vehicle can be seen maneuvering erratically to avoid capture.
The attack on Sortor was not the only incident of violence that weekend. Another political demonstration in Minneapolis turned violent Saturday when counterprotesters attacked a group of right-wing activists. The confrontation centered around Jake Lang, a 29-year-old activist who received a presidential pardon after spending nearly four years in custody related to January 6 charges. Lang had organized the demonstration as part of his ongoing activism against what he describes as Islamic expansion in America.
Lang and about ten supporters gathered near the Bishop Henry Whipple Federal Building and Minneapolis City Hall, chanting phrases including “Send the Somalis back” and “We stand with ICE.” The situation deteriorated when a larger group of counterprotesters arrived, and tensions quickly escalated from verbal confrontations to physical violence.
Video footage shows counterprotesters launching projectiles at Lang’s group and rushing toward the activists. Lang was pulled into the crowd, punched repeatedly, and dragged across the ground. He sustained head injuries that required medical staples and was stabbed in the chest. Fortunately, body armor he wore prevented serious injury. Counterprotesters seized Lang’s damaged chest plate and displayed it on social media as a symbolic victory. Journalist Cam Higby documented that Lang’s head wound likely resulted from being struck with a wooden flagpole. Lang managed to escape to a nearby hotel before fleeing the area by vehicle while still being pursued.
The violence extended beyond Lang’s group, with multiple activists sustaining injuries. Independent journalist Julio Rosas documented an attack on a man wearing an American flag sweatshirt, and another incident showed masked individuals attacking a man in a camouflage jacket until they realized he was "one of us."
