IDENTIFIED: We identified the activist groups & members behind the Minnesota chaos.

In this video, Nick Shirley documents an undercover investigation into what he characterizes as organized activism during Minnesota protests. According to Nick Shirley, his team deployed undercover operatives to infiltrate and observe protest activities, with Shirley himself participating in chants to maintain cover.

Nick Shirley claims that his investigation revealed a network of activist groups rather than a single centralized funding source. According to the video, Shirley’s team identified teachers, nurses, and union organizers at the protests, many of whom he describes as ideologically motivated “true believers” rather than paid operatives. However, Nick Shirley also alleges that various nonprofits and 501(c)(3) organizations played roles in the activism, some allegedly receiving government funding.

According to Nick Shirley, one key figure identified through hidden camera footage is Peggy Wang, whom Shirley describes as being based in Boston and working at Massachusetts College of Art and Design while active in the Massachusetts Teachers Association. Nick Shirley claims Wang participates in pro-Palestinian protests and that her employment has allegedly been threatened due to her activism.

Nick Shirley further alleges that Make the Road New York, an organization he claims has a $30 million budget, was involved in coordinating protest activities. According to the video, Shirley’s review of tax returns showed Make the Road New York as a registered 501(c)(3) that allegedly received $16 million in grants. Nick Shirley also mentions April Vetti, whom he identifies as president of the SEIU labor union, as a speaker at the protests.

The video documents various protest scenes according to Nick Shirley’s account, including incidents where he claims agitators climbed on vehicles, damaging property. Nick Shirley also records conversations in which participants allegedly discuss the absence of opposing political groups, with one comment Shirley captures suggesting “if there was [Trump supporters] there would be blood.”

Nick Shirley describes severe weather conditions during the investigation, documenting equipment failure due to extreme cold and demonstrating how quickly water froze in the negative 17-degree temperatures. He frames these conditions as evidence of the dedication required for his undercover operation.

This investigation matters as part of ongoing debate about protest organization, funding sources for activist groups, and the role of established institutions and unions in grassroots activism. Nick Shirley’s framing presents these groups as interconnected actors, while his methodology—using hidden cameras and undercover participation—reflects broader questions about transparency in activism and investigative journalism practices.

In Nick Shirley’s Own Words

“What we found is a hodgepodge of various NOs and nonprofits loosely tied together through ideology funded in part by the government featuring 501c3s with nonprofit tax returns.”

“Most of these people we found were actually true believers there to live and die by their cause.”

“One of the advantages of it being so cold is we were able to cover every single part of our skin. But these conditions were truly dangerous.”