A masked figure in a Spider-Man suit became an unlikely internet folk hero after a chaotic confrontation at a far-right rally in Minneapolis. Here’s what happened, and who police say the man behind the mask may be.
Police identified the man arrested for assault as William Nicholas Love, 33, of the Minneapolis area, though they have not officially confirmed he was the one in the Spider-Man suit.
The confrontation happened August 22 outside Minneapolis City Hall, where Jake Lang, a pardoned January 6 participant known for anti-immigration and anti-Muslim activism, held a small rally that counter-protesters badly outnumbered. Around 11:50 a.m., Lang and associates drove two vehicles onto the sidewalk toward the crowd. Chemical irritants came out on both sides, objects were thrown, and three police officers sustained minor injuries.
The man in the full Spider-Man costume was filmed climbing onto the back of Lang’s black pickup and physically engaging the people inside, including Lang. Officers tackled and arrested him.
Lang and six others from the vehicles were arrested on probable-cause riot charges. Love’s bail was listed at roughly $300, and reports say he was out the same day.
Multiple GoFundMe campaigns went up fast under names like “Support Spider-Man’s Legal Defense” and “Help The Minnesota Spiderman Recover,” directing funds toward bail, legal fees, and medical bills. One campaign alone passed $28,000 of a $40,000 goal within about a day.
Before this, Love left almost no public trace. He had no prior arrests, no known activism, and no social media anyone could find under his name — a private person until a costume made him a symbol.
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