The Wire - January 12, 2026

//The Wire//2300Z January 12, 2026//
//ROUTINE//
//BLUF: IRANIAN PROTESTS CONTINUE AS PRESIDENT TRUMP REAFFIRMS AMERICAN INVOLVEMENT. VEHICLE RAMMING ATTACK REPORTED AT PROTEST IN LOS ANGELES. PROTESTS CONTINUE IN MINNEAPOLIS.//

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-International Events-

Middle East: The situation in Tehran remains tense as demonstrations continue. Over the weekend, pro-regime, pro-Ayatollah demonstrations were carried out, in opposition to the anti-regime protests which have been regular over the past two weeks.

Analyst Comment: As one might expect, the pro-regime demonstrations have been covered extensively by Iranian state TV, so the true scale of these demonstrations is not known. The internet outage continues nationwide, so the wider context of how serious the overall situation is developing is hard to discern. In Washington, President Trump has made increasingly more substantial statements regarding American involvement, indicating that the United States may become more actively involved in overthrowing the government of Iran in the very near future. These statements have been understandably vague, however in the context of the current demonstrations this is probably the early indication and warning of another round of American strikes (or more direct involvement) at some point.

-HomeFront-

USA: Around the nation, various protests and states of civil unrest continued over the weekend, with some being more kinetic than others. Protests remained constant in the usual cities; Portland, Minneapolis, Manhattan, Philadelphia, Chicago, and Washington D.C. all were host to anti-ICE demonstrations.

California: Anti-ICE protests continue state-wide, however other types of protests and demonstrations are underway, which have increased in severity over the past few days. In Los Angeles, a vehicle ramming attack was reported at an Iranian protest Sunday afternoon, which resulted in the wounding of several demonstrators. The demonstration itself was an anti-regime/pro-Shah protest, in support of overthrowing the Ayatollah. As demonstrators were marching up Veteran Avenue to the east of the Federal Building, one assailant drove a Uhaul truck north up Veteran Avenue, conducting a slow-speed ramming into the crowd, before coming to a halt at the corner of Rochester and Veteran Ave. After the vehicle came to a halt, the driver was detained by police, and has not yet been identified.

Analyst Comment: This incident was a deliberate attack, as evidenced by the signage that had been affixed to the Uhaul truck by the attacker. Despite these signs, however, the motive remains unclear as the messages are contradictory. The attacker's signs referenced, anti-Shah, anti-regime, and anti-Ayatollah sentiments, so it's not really clear what ideology the attacker was trying to support. Nevertheless, the attack was conducted for ideological reasons, even if they aren't immediately clear at the moment.

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Analyst Comments: In Minneapolis, a general state of unrest continued over the weekend, with various insurgent groups increasing the intensity of their efforts. Several independent journalists have been assaulted by the mobs at varying locations, as parts of the city descend into a state of lawlessness.

Most of the violence has been contained to a few hotspots around the city. In the downtown area, the Renaissance and Hilton Hotels have remained under a state of unrest following the destruction caused by rioters over the weekend. Smaller, but more long-term protest sites have been established at these locations, in addition to the persistent protest that is ongoing at the Whipple Federal Building to the south of the city.

This afternoon a riot broke out to the east of the Renee Good shooting site, at the corner of E 34th Street and Park Avenue. Rioters attacked ICE agents, which resulted in the deployment of te