Minnesota Vikings radio announcer Paul Allen is facing calls to resign after falsely dismissing anti-ICE demonstrators in Minneapolis as ‘paid protestors’ and joking about them ‘catching strays’ after this month’s shooting death of local woman Renee Good.
‘In conditions like this, do paid protesters get hazard pay?’ Allen asked retired Vikings linebacker Chad Greenway during a Friday broadcast on KFAN. ‘Those are the things that I’ve been thinking about this morning.’
Later, when discussing public criticism of NFL figures like Vikings defensive coordinator Brian Flores, Atlanta Falcons head coach Kevin Stefanski and retired NFL quarterback Charlie Batch, Allen joked that ‘everybody’s catching strays this week.’
‘Paid protesters caught one this morning,’ he added, as quoted by Awful Announcing.
Allen’s controversial statements were made before Saturday’s shooting death of Minneapolis nurse Alex Pretti at the hands of US Border Patrol agents. Video from that incident shows the 37-year-old American citizen being disarmed and restrained by agents before being repeatedly shot in the chest. That footage contradicts claims by the Department of Homeland Security that Pretti ‘brandished’ a weapon or posed an immediate threat to officers.
The Daily Mail has reached out to the Vikings and KFAN for a response to Allen’s commentary, which appears to have been deleted on his show’s podcast feed.
Minnesota Vikings play-by-play announcer Paul Allen is facing calls to resign
People gather for a vigil blocks from where Alex Pretti was fatally shot by federal agents in south Minneapolis. Allen’s comments were made before Pretti was killed by US Border agents
Allen also deleted an X post Saturday after using the phrase ‘firing bullets’ to describe Big Ten Network college basketball analyst Parker Fox’s on-air work: ‘My main @Parkerfox24 firing bullets on #HockeyDayMinnesota,’ Allen wrote in response to Fox’s interview with a youth hockey player. ‘Such a cool annual day, and PFox taking part is a nice touch.’
Later, Allen said he deleted the post because he did ‘not know at that time about the shooting of a man in MPLS.’
Allen departed from his on-air comments in a subsequent post on X in which he called for prayers.
‘I have to stop watching all this for a little bit,’ Allen wrote. ‘I’m so sad this terror is happening all around us here in MN. I just prayed to God’s will for it to somehow stop and now and started crying. I truly am sorry for all hurting like me through this, and I just want us to be a Love Covenant again. Truly. Let’s all pray this stops somehow because it’s awful.’
He ended the post by appearing to acknowledge his controversial statements from Friday’s broadcast: ‘And no more cheap one-liners from me.’
Flowers are left at a makeshift memorial in the area where Alex Pretti was shot dead
Good was shot to death by ICE agents in Minneapolis earlier this month, weeks before Paul Allen made his joke about ‘paid protestors… catching strays’ on KFAN on Friday
Critics responded by calling for Allen to resign.
‘Resign, Paul,’ one wrote on X. ‘Minnesota doesn’t want to hear from you ever again.’
‘Paul, I’ve been a fan of yours for decades,’ another added. ‘You’ve really disappointed me.’
Several asked Allen if legendary Vikings defensive tackle and retired Minnesota Supreme Court Justice Alan Page was also a paid protester after the 80-year-old NFL and civil rights icon was seen marching in sub-zero temperatures.
‘Was Alan a paid protester, Paul?’
Others directed complaints at the Vikings and the team’s PR department.
‘@Vikings @VikingsPR Please consider moving on from PA after his comments regarding ‘paid protestors,’ one wrote on X. ‘Such language should not be affiliated with a professional sports team, as classy as the Vikings.’
President Donald Trump and several high-ranking members of his administration have baselessly dismissed demonstrators in Minnesota as ‘paid protestors.’
Embattled Homeland Security director Kristi Noem went so far as to call Good a ‘domestic terrorist’ and accused her of trying to run down ICE agents with her vehicle. Video evidence of Good’s killing did not corroborate this claim and analysts continue to disagree over the Trump administration’s justification for the incident.
Similarly, White House advisor Stephen Miller baselessly claimed Pretty was a ‘domestic terrorist’ who had ‘tried to assassinate federal law enforcement.’
In the wake of Saturday’s shooting, the NBA game between the Minnesota Timberwolves and Golden State Warriors was postponed to ‘prioritize the safety and security of the Minneapolis community.’
However, the NHL decided to go ahead with Saturday’s Wild-Florida Panthers game in St. Paul, drawing some criticism from the public.
Several fans branded the NHL and the Wild ‘spineless,’ while another said there was ‘nothing more on brand for the NHL’ than going ahead with the game ‘as if nothing is amiss’ in Minnesota.
‘Seriously what’s happening in Minnesota right now is way bigger than ‘hockey day,’ a third said while another fan called the organization ‘evil’ and ‘trifling.’
The 60-year-old Allen has been the play-by-play voice for the Vikings since 2002. He also calls horse races.
