On Wednesday afternoon, Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey delivered emotional remarks about the tragedy at a Catholic school in the city earlier that day. In the wake of the shooting—in which the gunman killed two schoolchildren and injured 17 others, before killing himself—Frey emphasized that platitudes about “thoughts and prayers” are not enough.
“And don’t just say this is about thoughts and prayers right now,” Frey said. “These kids were literally praying! It was the first week of school. They were in a church. These are kids that should be learning with their friends. They should be playing on the playground. They should be able to go to school or church in peace, without the fear or risk of violence.”
Frey: And don’t just say, this is about thoughts and prayers right now. These kids were literally praying. It was the first week of school. They were in a church. pic.twitter.com/pEy8dOgr1R
— Acyn (@Acyn) August 27, 2025
Online, many on the MAGA right villainized the Democratic mayor for these remarks, mischaracterizing his comments on the insufficiency of hollow condolences as an attack on people of faith.
The right-wing news site Daily Caller reported that Frey had used the shooting to “slander Christians.” Right-wing advocacy group America First Works called the comments “disgraceful.”
MAGA influencer Chaya Raichik (known as Libs of TikTok) said Frey had “slam[med] people who are praying for the victims.” Curtis Houck of the conservative site NewsBusters said he had “kick[ed] dirt on children praying.” Alt-right commentator and Pizzagate conspiracy monger Jack Posobiec accused him of spreading “anti-Christian hate.” A prominent anonymous X user with the handle @_johnnymaga called the mayor “the ultimate POS [piece of shit],” saying he had insulted “the faith of the children who were just gunned down in his city.”
In reaction to the speech, several MAGA accounts with significant followings ridiculed Frey for having knelt and wept before the casket of George Floyd in 2020.
For instance, Juanita Broaddrick, a pro-Trump figure who accused Bill Clinton of rape in 1999, shared a clip of Frey at Floyd’s funeral, writing of the mayor: “He is a real Piece of Sh*t. Here he is sobbing and praying at George Floyd’s gold casket. But he doesn’t want you to pray for these kids today.”
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