Minneapolis Spider-Man Enters Not Guilty Plea to Assault

• William Nicholas Love, known as the "Minneapolis Spider-Man," pleaded not guilty to a fifth-degree misdemeanor assault charge on September 4, 2026.
• The charge stems from an August 22 incident where Love intervened by jumping onto a truck driven by far-right activist Jake Lang's group toward protesters.
• Love's attorney, Jack Rice, argues his client acted in self-defense and in defense of others, asserting the trucks' actions constituted an assault.
• Hennepin County Attorney Mary Moriarty declined felony charges against Lang due to insufficient evidence of requisite intent, though misdemeanor charges remain possible.
• Love has garnered significant community support and over $160,000 in crowdfunding for his legal defense, despite some criticism of his use of physical force.

Love's attorney, Jack Rice, asserts that his client acted purely in self-defense and in the defense of others present at the Hennepin County self-defense protest.

William Nicholas Love, a 33-year-old resident of Inver Grove Heights, Minnesota, widely known as the "Minneapolis Spider-Man," has formally entered a not guilty plea to misdemeanor assault charges. The plea was made on Friday, September 4, 2026, at the Hennepin County Public Safety Facility in Minneapolis. Love faces a fifth-degree misdemeanor assault charge stemming from an incident that occurred on August 22 outside Minneapolis City Hall.

The charges relate to a confrontation involving far-right activist Jake Lang. During the incident, vehicles associated with Lang reportedly drove onto a sidewalk, moving toward a crowd of people who were protesting him. Love, who was dressed as Spider-Man, intervened by climbing onto the back of a pickup truck occupied by Lang. Video evidence from the encounter shows Love throwing punches and attempting to seize a sign from the vehicle. Both sides involved in the altercation deployed mace, and Minneapolis police ultimately arrested 11 individuals on riot charges, including Lang and several members of his group.

Love's defense attorney, Jack Rice, asserts that his client acted purely in self-defense and in the defense of others present at the Hennepin County self-defense protest. Rice argues that the actions of Lang's group, specifically two trucks driving onto a curb toward a crowd, constituted an inherent threat and an assault in themselves. He contends that anyone operating a vehicle in such a manner is guilty of fifth-degree assault, shifting the responsibility for the incident squarely onto Lang's group.

Rice has raised questions regarding the prosecutorial decisions in the Jake Lang Minneapolis incident, noting that while his client faces William Nicholas Love assault charges, Lang's group, whom he believes should have been charged, has not seen similar action. Hennepin County Attorney Mary Moriarty confirmed that her office would not pursue felony charges against Lang, who was released from custody last week. Moriarty described Lang's actions as "despicable and disgusting," emphasizing that the decision not to pursue felony charges was a legal one based on applicable law and the inability to prove the requisite intent with the available evidence. She added that the city attorney's office might still pursue misdemeanor charges against Lang.

Lang, a controversial activist, previously served four years for his involvement in the Capitol riots before receiving a pardon from President Donald Trump. His presence in Minneapolis was to hold a rally for Shiloh Hendrix, a Rochester woman who gained notoriety and was subsequently charged with misdemeanor disorderly conduct following a racist viral incident.

The Minneapolis community has largely rallied behind Love, with many viewing him as a "community protector" and dubbing him a "hero of the city" on social media platforms like Reddit and Facebook. This widespread support underscores the public's perception of his actions as a necessary intervention during the August 22 confrontation. However, some critics have voiced condemnation of his use of physical violence, sparking a debate about the appropriate response to perceived threats during public demonstrations.

Following his arrest and the revelation of his identity, multiple online crowdfunding campaigns were launched to cover Love's legal defense. These efforts have been highly successful, with several GoFundMe pages collectively raising over $160,000. One such fundraising page, reportedly managed by Love's fiancée, includes a statement from Love himself, explaining his actions: "I jumped onto the moving truck because I felt I had to do whatever I could to protect th[e crowd]." This case highlights the complexities of self-defense claims in protest-related incidents, particularly when individuals intervene against vehicles perceived as threatening a crowd, offering a practical example for legal professionals to consider regarding the definition of assault and prosecutorial discretion.

This case offers a practical example of self-defense arguments in protest-related assault charges, particularly when a defendant intervenes against vehicles perceived as threatening a crowd. Lawyers should note the defense's strategy regarding the definition of assault and the implications for prosecutorial discretion in public order incidents.

Source: Original reporting via Courthouse News