The play-by-play voice for the Minnesota Vikings for 24 years, Paul Allen is facing calls to resign after a comment made about the ongoing ICE operations and corresponding protests in the Twin Cities.
According to numerous accounts on social media, Allen posited that protestors are being paid for their opposition against ICE’s presence in Minnesota, a conspiracy in right-wing spaces. Thousands of protestors have come out in frigid temperatures in action against the immigration enforcement operations happening around the state. Demonstrations have grown in the aftermath of Renee Good’s death during an operation on January 7.
On Friday, January 23, Allen “handwaved the protestors” are paid, according to a Redditor on r/minnesotavikings subreddit. Allen’s station, KFAN FM 100.3, scrubbed the post-released podcast of the on-air comment, according to the Redditor. A second ICE shooting occurred Saturday morning, after Allen’s alleged comment, sparking more civil unrest.
Hundreds of listeners have corroborated a similar message on social media. Another Redditor on r/Minnesota shared a screenshot from the studio’s text line that shows producer Eric Nordquist saying, “Yes, he referenced that some of the protestors are paid.”
Awful Announcing found the audio from the live broadcast, which revealed Allen speaking about the weather and asking, “Do paid protestors get hazard pay?”
The station did not answer a phone call from Heavy for comment about the incident.
Fans on various social media platforms have called for Allen to resign from his position.
Vikings Fans Call for Paul Allen to Resign After ICE Protestor Comments
In several areas of social media, fans voiced their displeasure with Allen’s commentary amid the turbulent times in the Twin Cities.
The moderators of r/minnesotavikings opened a thread to discuss the matter after removing several posts that violated the subreddit’s rule against political commentary. A moderator wrote that the thread was made given “people tied to the organization may make statements or share opinions” about politics.
“Was that guy shot 10 min. ago outside the donut store a paid agitator,” another commenter pleaded, referring to the Saturday shooting.”
“PA needs to resign or apologize,” another Redditor said, echoed by a follow-up comment: “PA needs to resign AND apologize.”
On r/Minnesota, a Redditor wrote: “PA is proud of his Christian faith, but he seems completely clueless about how a Christian should act during times like this.”
A Threads user tagged the Vikings, urging the organization to “dump Paul Allen.” Another user threatened to stop listening to KFAN and “boycott the advertisers who fund his hate and ignorance.”
Paul Allen Responds to ICE Protests on Social Media
While Allen has yet to address his comments on air, he maintained a presence on X, sharing several messages about the ongoing struggle in the Twin Cities.
I have to stop watching all this for a little bit. 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,” Allen wrote. 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. And no more cheap one-liners from me.”
Fans were overwhelmingly not accepting of the apology.
“Resign, Paul. Minnesota does not want to hear from you ever again,” one fan responded.
“Paul, I think you have been on the wrong side of this issue….and I don’t mean political sides,” a fan wrote. “More like what Jesus would be actually saying/doing at a time like this. But you’re probably hearing that nonsense in and around church. Hope you figure it out man. Rooting for you.”
“Paul, I’ve been a fan of yours for decades. You’ve really disappointed me,” another fan wrote.
Voice of Vikings Facing Calls to Resign After Minneapolis ICE Protest Comment