A Minneapolis couple has denied they are racist after a video surfaced online showing them verbally confronting a Somali family house shopping in their neighborhood. Brian and Jen Wagner engaged in a dispute with the family in the suburb of Shakopee, Minnesota, earlier this week.
In the footage, Brian Wagner can be heard telling the family, "Nobody wants you here. Not a single person here wants you." He also appeared to reference fraud investigations connected to the Somali community, questioning, "Where’d you get your money for the house? All you do is steal."
The family's attorney stated that the video does not include the initial racial slurs allegedly directed at Wagner and that the social media backlash lacks critical context. The Wagners' attorney, from Seidlich Law, claimed the video was being "weaponized" to create a "false narrative" and that the firm was exploring legal actions against those involved in the "cyberbullying campaign."
"This incomplete video is being used to coordinate a cyberbullying campaign against an honest, patriotic, kind, and hard-working family," the law firm said in a statement. The firm also asserted that the Wagners do not conduct themselves in a racist manner and believe in the "dignity and equal worth of every human being."
The incident sparked swift condemnation from Minnesota politicians. Democratic lawmaker Brad Tabke defended the Somali family, stating that the confrontation was not representative of Shakopee and that the town is diverse and welcoming.
"It pi**es me off that this viral video is the first time some people have heard of Shakopee, and I just want to say that it doesn’t represent our town," Tabke said. "Our town is diverse and full of good, hardworking Minnesotans who don’t care what your background is - we’re all neighbors."
Congresswoman Angie Craig suggested the incident was a result of "hateful rhetoric against the Somali community" and stated, "This is not who we are as Minnesotans - folks of all backgrounds are welcome here."
The Wagners' attorney indicated they have contacted law enforcement, including the Department of Justice, regarding potential criminal charges. The family's attorney countered that the person filming was a "provocateur" capitalizing on political tensions and playing the victim.