A lot of what we’re seeing online lately—especially concerning our Somali neighbors—matches the classic patterns of foreign influence operations. This isn’t new. Cities across the U.S. (including ours) have been targeted before by groups—state-backed or otherwise—whose goal is to inflame local tensions and magnify distrust.

Here’s how these actors typically operate:

• They look for existing cracks—biases, fears, moments of frustration—and push hard on those exact points. They don’t create the bias; they weaponize it.
• They impersonate locals. Troll accounts pose as “concerned Minneapolis residents,” or “fed-up parents,” even though they’re posting from thousands of miles away.
• They flood the zone. Multiple accounts repeat the same narratives (crime scares, cultural resentment, “us vs. them” framing) to make it feel like “everyone is talking about it.”
• They mix a little truth with a lot of distortion. That’s how they gain credibility before steering people toward distrust and hate.
• Their goal is not to solve anything. Their goal is to make us angry, suspicious, and divided—because a divided community is easier to manipulate.

Minnesota has one of the largest and strongest Somali communities in the country, and the actors targeting them want us to forget that these are our coworkers, classmates, neighbors, and fellow Minnesotans. They benefit when we stop seeing one another’s humanity.

How to push back (it actually works):

• Check the source. New account? Few posts? Posting nonstop about the same grievance? Probably not a neighbor.
• Look for emotional manipulation. If a post is designed to make you furious rather than informed, pause before sharing.
• Ask yourself: “Who benefits if I believe this?” If the answer is “someone trying to turn Minnesotans against each other,” rethink.
• Don’t amplify suspicious content. Screenshots, quote-tweets, reposts—these all help foreign actors spread their message.

This isn’t about shutting down real conversation. It’s about making sure our conversations aren’t being steered by people who don’t know our city and don’t care about it.

Let’s stay critical, stay kind, and refuse to let outsiders turn neighbors into enemies.

Stay safe and stay thoughtful. Ok youbetcha, long Minnesota goodbye ❤️💙💛