Socialist Mayoral Candidate Hoists Somalia Flag

​Viral Video Shows Minneapolis Candidate Fateh Addressing Rally in Somali

A video showing Minneapolis mayoral candidate Omar Fateh waving a Somali regional flag while speaking at a campaign rally has gone viral on social media, sparking intense debate about loyalty, identity, and the nature of American political campaigns.

The clip, originally filmed on August 18 in a Minneapolis Community Center, shows Fateh speaking to a crowd of Somali-American supporters. The video drew reactions from many conservatives who criticized Fateh’s loyalty for the United States, the Constitution, and the Representative Republic system of Government. Fateh is an outspoken proponent of socialism and Marxism.

Fateh’s vision for Minneapolis include implementing a $20 minimum wage, rent stabilization, and redirecting Police Department funding to social workers. Regarding deportation of illegal aliens, Fateh said “Our residents deserve a mayor that will stand up to Donald Trump and say ‘no, not in our community.’”

​House Majority Whip Tom Emmer called out Fateh for supporting Somalia during the rally, stating the actions imply the candidate “hates” the United States.

“In case you needed more evidence that Omar Fatah puts America last, here he is waving a foreign flag and pledging his support to Somalia,” Emmer said. “Minneapolis: You can’t let this lunatic run your city! He hates our country.”

The late Charlie Kirk, an ardent defender of America’s Christian heritage, wrote on X (formerly twitter) in June of 2025 that “Islam is not compatible with western civilization.”

In July, Charlie Kirk directly referenced the candidacy of Fateh saying, “Muslims are commanded to take over the government in the land they live. The attempted Islamic takeover of America is made possible thanks to mass migration.”

The incident has raised broader questions about allegiance and American identity. Some social media users questioned whether displaying foreign flags and conducting campaign events in foreign languages represents appropriate behavior for candidates seeking American public office.

Pastor James White asked on X “Isn’t this an invasion? Aren’t there laws about loyalty to the US, our laws, our Constitution? How is this being allowed?” White, who was born in Minneapolis, has criticized the city for adopting a “Marxist worldview and violence.”

Others pointed to constitutional concerns. One commenter noted, “There is such a thing as sedition against the Constitution. Both Islam and communism are prime examples. Both seek and plan to replace the Constitution,” reflecting concerns about whether such displays are compatible with America’s republican values.

While the Naturalization Oath of Allegiance to the United States of America does not apply to Fateh since he was born in Washington D.C. to immigrant parents, the principles embodied in the oath are assumed to be the mindset and desire of any naturally born citizen.

​"I hereby declare, on oath, that I absolutely and entirely renounce and abjure all allegiance and fidelity to any foreign prince, potentate, state, or sovereignty, of whom or which I have heretofore been a subject or citizen; that I will support and defend the Constitution and laws of the United States of America against all enemies, foreign and domestic; that I will bear true faith and allegiance to the same; that I will bear arms on behalf of the United States when required by the law; that I will perform noncombatant service in the Armed Forces of the United States when required by the law; that I will perform work of national importance under civilian direction when required by the law; and that I take this obligation freely, without any mental reservation or purpose of evasion; so help me God."

The August rally was not an isolated incident. Fateh has previously held rallies where he has appealed to being Somalian with supporters and has posted campaign announcements in Somali. This targeted outreach to Minneapolis’s substantial Somali-American community (one of the largest in the United States) has been a consistent component of his campaign strategy.

Minneapolis voters will decide their next mayor on November 4. Fateh made history in 2020 by becoming the first Muslim and first Somali American to be elected to Minnesota’s state Senate and now seeks to break similar ground at the municipal level.