# Minnesota State Fair gang injunction litigation

> Live situation record from CLSTR: https://clstr.news/situations/minnesota-state-fair-gang-injunction-litigation
> Updated: 2026-08-23T20:10:38.000Z. Sources: 10. Developments: 4.

To prevent planned violence at the 2026 Minnesota State Fair, Minnesota Attorney General Keith Ellison and Ramsey County Attorney John Choi filed civil injunctions against the Ville and Muddy gangs. The legal action followed social media posts promoting a “biggest battle of the summer” and cited a history of regional violence.

If granted, the injunctions would have established a “safety zone” around the fairgrounds and transit areas from August 27 through September 8. This would have allowed law enforcement to arrest named gang members for associating with rivals or intimidating fairgoers within the zone without needing separate probable cause for other crimes.

As of late August 2026, officials have secured injunctions and agreements to prevent alleged members of the two Somali gangs from attending the fair. Attorney General Ellison’s office announced that seven of the ten named individuals have agreed to stay away from the fair or remain outside a “designated safety zone” for the duration of the event. In one joint stipulation filed in Ramsey County District Court, three members of the Muddy gang agreed to stay away from the fair and the designated “safety area” from August 27 to September 7 in exchange for the dismissal of their involvement in the lawsuit. While these agreements were reached to address concerns that the gangs constitute a “public nuisance,” the individuals involved deny being gang members.

On August 23, a judge officially designated Muddy as a criminal gang, a move intended to allow for more aggressive police action. While several individuals have agreed to stay away from the fairgrounds, others remain subject to court-ordered restrictions regarding association and intimidation within the safety zone.

## Timeline

### 2026-08-23: Minnesota State Fair faces gang injunctions and highway closures

As the Minnesota State Fair approaches, officials have implemented gang injunctions for safety, while travelers face Highway 52 closures and new digital parking policies in the St. Paul area.

6 sources. https://clstr.news/cluster/minnesota-state-fair-approaches-amid-weather-history-and-seasonal-shifts

### 2026-08-21: Minnesota officials secure injunctions to bar alleged gangs from State Fair

Minnesota officials secured injunctions to keep alleged members of the ‘Muddy’ and ‘Ville’ gangs away from the Minnesota State Fair to prevent potential violence and criminal activity.

2 sources. https://clstr.news/cluster/minnesota-officials-secure-injunctions-to-bar-alleged-gangs-from-state-fair

### 2026-08-19: Minnesota State Fair: Alleged gang members agree to skip event

Alleged members of the Muddy and The Ville gangs have agreed to skip the 2026 Minnesota State Fair and avoid surrounding safety zones to resolve a civil lawsuit seeking to prevent gang gatherings.

2 sources. https://clstr.news/cluster/minnesota-state-fair-alleged-gang-members-agree-to-skip-event

### 2026-08-07: Minnesota officials file injunctions against gangs to protect State Fair

Minnesota officials filed civil injunctions to prevent the Ville and Muddy gangs from gathering at the 2026 Minnesota State Fair following threats of violence shared on social media.

3 sources. https://clstr.news/cluster/minnesota-officials-file-injunctions-against-gangs-to-protect-state-fair

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Cite as: Minnesota State Fair gang injunction litigation. CLSTR, https://clstr.news/situations/minnesota-state-fair-gang-injunction-litigation