Officials in Ramsey County teamed up with the Minnesota Attorney General’s Office late last week in a unique effort to secure the 2026 Minnesota State Fair. The effort makes use of a seldom used state statute – the “Minnesota civil gang nuisance law” – that would allow officials to sue gang members and prevent them from associating, intimidating, annoying, provoking, or threatening others in and around the state fair grounds between August 27th and September 8th, 2026.
Some may scoff at this and suggest it’s ridiculous to think a civil lawsuit could prevent gang violence, but there is real value in this effort. If the injunction is issued, law enforcement would have the legal authority to proactively detain gang members listed in the suit who violate certain conditions – such as associating with one another at the fair. Absent the injunction, law enforcement is forced to respond after a crime has been committed and after the fair’s family friendly atmosphere has been damaged.
This is no small endeavor, and Minnesotans should be pleased by the effort that our law enforcement officials have put into this.
- Ramsey County Sheriff’s Deputy Ben Seidl, a gang expert, assembled a 17-page affidavit laying out the historical violence between the Ville and Muddy Somali gangs, including specific assaults during previous state fairs and more recent shootings associated with high school and college graduation ceremonies. Furthermore, the affidavit exposed multiple social media posts involving these gang members advertising their intent to continue this violence while at the state fair in 2026.
- The Minnesota State Fair Chief of Police, Ron Knafla, assembled a 4-page affidavit supporting the need for the injunction.
- Ramsey County Attorney John Choi and Minnesota Attorney General Keith Ellison authorized the drafting of a joint 7-page complaint supporting the injunction against a total of ten gang members.
- A corresponding 18-page draft order granting temporary injunction was also assembled and submitted to the court.
- The individual gang members have been served with copies of the complaint and await the outcome of an August 13th hearing before Ramsey County District Court Chief Judge Sara Grewing. If Judge Grewing issues the proposed temporary injunction the gang members will be prohibited from associating with one another in or around the fairgrounds for the entirety of the 2026 state fair. Any violation would result in their arrest – prior to any crime or violence occurring.
Ramsey County Attorney Choi has some experience with this legal maneuver. His office supported the original bill in the 2007 Legislature and then used it successfully in both 2009 and 2015 to proactively curb violence that was occurring between Hispanic gang members as part of Cinco de Mayo celebrations in St. Paul.
While the lawsuit against the 10 Ville and Muddy gang members isn’t a guarantee against violence occurring at this year’s state fair, the likelihood of violence will be greatly reduced if the injunctions are issued. And the message sent to would be offenders is critical to maintaining deterrence.
The law enforcement officials who have ushered this forward should be commended. We are fortunate to have imaginative and engaged law enforcement officers who pride themselves on keeping one step ahead of offenders. It’s a must.
