A Viral Vigilante Roams Streets of Minneapolis
AP PHoto/Warner Bros
Minneapolis’ most talked-about crime fighter doesn’t wear a badge. He wears a skull mask and goes by the name “NoMark.” The Star Tribune reports that the anonymous man in his twenties has gained more than 500,000 followers by patrolling neighborhoods such as Dinkytown in all-black clothing and posting GoPro-style videos of himself breaking up fights and recovering stolen bikes.
He is part of a small subculture known as “Reals,” everyday people who take on superhero-style identities and attempt to fight crime in real life. In NoMark’s case, much of the activity is shared online. His videos have drawn large audiences by tapping into lingering concerns about public safety following pandemic-era crime spikes and complaints about slower police response times, even as overall crime levels have eased. While some of his earliest videos were staged, NoMark says he now focuses on documenting real situations. “It was a joke,” he said. “And now I’m actually trying to do something.”
His motivation began close to home. After a shooting in his area and what he believed was a slow response from police, he decided to start patrolling at night. His actions tend to be relatively limited in scope: escorting intoxicated people home safely, stepping in to calm disputes, or breaking up fights before they escalate. Still, the highly visible approach has helped him build a following online.
At times, he has also pursued viral moments. In one case, he attempted to track down a supposed prankster known as the “Minnesota Pisser,” though that situation was later revealed to have been staged. Similar “real-life superhero” efforts have appeared in other cities as well. In Seattle, for example, KING 5 reports that a nurse known as “Red Ranger” patrols downtown with a small group. Their focus is less on stopping crime and more on providing help—handing out food, checking on unhoused people, and occasionally de-escalating conflicts.
NoMark’s role, however, sits somewhere between performance and vigilantism, and he has become a polarizing figure. One commenter on a video wrote, “I can’t tell if this is great performance art or if I am actually watching someone fall into a Batman-based psychosis.”
Critics say the popularity of figures like NoMark reflects lingering anxiety about safety, even as crime statistics decline. They also warn that civilians stepping into tense or unpredictable situations can create additional risks. NoMark says he carries only a crowbar and a pocketknife and uses the modest income from his social media accounts mainly to cover gas for his patrols.
While his direct interventions may be small, supporters argue the broader impact is cultural. They say his example encourages people to get involved in their communities instead of ignoring problems. One man who said NoMark helped him with a property dispute put it this way: “People can take a hint from him about the way they’re living their life.”
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