(The Center Square) – A systematic organization behind riots in Minnesota exposed through leaked group chats is under investigation, says FBI Director Kash Patel.
Patel said the FBI is investigating what is legal and illegal in the protests. He added that he was also made aware of reporting done by Cam Higby, a self-described “independent investigative journalist and political commentator” according to his website.
Higby says he infiltrated the encrypted Signal group chats used by those rioting.
“We look at all this stuff,” Patel said. “As soon as Higby put that post out, I opened an investigation on it. We immediately opened up that investigation because that sort of Signal chat, being coordinated with individuals not just locally in Minnesota – but maybe even around the country – if that leads to a break in the federal statute or a violation of some law, then we are going to arrest people.”
Reports on the ground and from the Signal chats say protestors are well-organized, have means of communication they are using to coordinate tracking of federal law enforcement, and even have a database they are using to input license plate numbers and dox agents.
Patel said that, while peaceful protesting is legal, that would not be permitted.
“You cannot create a scenario that illegally traps and puts law enforcement in harm’s way,” Patel said. “We have to let the community know that we will not tolerate acts of violence.”
Higby first released information about the Signal chats on Saturday, the same day federal agents shot and killed 37-year-old Alex Pretti in Minneapolis. The shooting was the third in 18 days by federal agents in Operation Metro Surge.
“I have infiltrated organizational signal groups all around Minneapolis with the sole intention of tracking down federal agents,” Higby said in his initial social media post. “Each area of the city has a signal or several signals.”
Higby says protestors have handbooks, training manuals and webinars, and dispatchers. TCS has not confirmed the findings.
Other reports accuse various state officials of being involved in the chats, including Lt. Gov. Peggy Flanagan. TCS has not confirmed the reports.
Flanagan has not responded to the accusations, which quickly began spreading online. She has been previously outspoken against U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, urging community members at a recent event to “get trained up.”
“Enough is enough,” Flanagan said on Saturday. “They are killing us in the streets. The Senate cannot send one more penny to ICE.”
Flanagan is running in 2026 to represent Minnesota in the U.S. Senate.
Since Saturday, riots have only further escalated. Second-term Democratic Gov. Tim Walz deployed 1,500 members of the National Guard, and federal officials have continued their enhanced enforcement of federal immigration law.
President Donald Trump said local and state officials are contributing to the rising tensions, both through their rhetoric and by refusing to cooperate with federal law enforcement.
On social media, he wrote that “sanctuary cities and states are refusing to cooperate with ICE, and they are actually encouraging leftwing agitators to unlawfully obstruct their operations.”
The second-term Republican president said “Democrats are putting illegal alien criminals over taxpaying, law-abiding citizens, and they have created dangerous circumstances for everyone involved.”
He said the loss of two lives was at the hands of Democrats causing chaos.
