MINNEAPOLIMEDIA NEWS | Court Orders and Agreements Restrict Ten Alleged Gang Members From Minnesota State Fair

SAINT PAUL, MN (August 22, 2026) Ten people identified by state and Ramsey County officials as members of two rival gangs will be restricted from entering the Minnesota State Fair or a designated surrounding safety area during the 2026 fair.

Minnesota Attorney General Keith Ellison and Ramsey County Attorney John Choi pursued the restrictions through civil lawsuits filed against two groups identified in court documents as Muddy and The Ville.

Seven of the 10 named individuals voluntarily agreed to remain away from the fairgrounds and the surrounding safety zone. Court injunctions cover the remaining defendants, according to information released after the proceedings.

The restrictions are scheduled to apply during the State Fair, which runs from August 27 through September 7, and through the early morning of September 8 for the designated safety area.

State and county officials filed the cases after investigators said social-media posts indicated that members of the rival groups were planning a large confrontation at the fair on August 29.

The civil complaints cited previous incidents, including a shooting outside the fairgrounds on the final night of the 2024 fair and a large disturbance near the Midway in 2025. The filings also connected alleged members of the groups to violence at other Twin Cities gatherings.

The orders prohibit conduct described in the injunctions, including participating in gang activity or associating with specified members inside the restricted area. Violation of a court injunction can result in arrest and misdemeanor prosecution.

The proceedings are civil public-nuisance cases. The restrictions do not establish that every person named has been convicted of a crime, and descriptions of gang affiliation remain allegations except where independently established through prior court findings.

Ellison and Choi said the unusual legal action was intended to prevent violence before it occurred at Minnesota’s largest annual public gathering. Community and clergy leaders were also reportedly engaging young people connected to the dispute.

State Fair visitors can review current security policies and prohibited items through the official Minnesota State Fair website.

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