Self-described content creator "Danny Spud" is known for producing ragebait video content. He frequently uses Ray-Ban Meta smartglasses to covertly film his "pranks."
Spud's modus operandi is to do whatever it takes to provoke a reaction.
On February 12, Spud walked into Lake Zurich High School—in the Chicago, Illinois suburb of Lake Zurich—while students were participating in an organized anti-ICE walkout.
Once again looking to provoke a reaction for the camera in his smartglasses, Spud carried a sign saying "I LOVE ICE" and yelled at students passing him.
Everything Spud was saying is unknown because he only shared a self-edited 47-second video on his social media.
In the caption, the attention seeker wrote:
"Today, students at my high school in Chicago held an Anti-ICE protest."
In the video he shared, Spud could be heard yelling:
"We support ICE and law enforcement! I support ICE!"
One passing student tells him:
"That’s crazy, bro."
Hoping to provoke a confrontation, Spud replied:
"I don’t know what’s crazy about this."
Shortly after, another student in a brown hoodie stopped and told Spud:
"Yeah. I’m going to punch you in the face."
Spud responded:
"You’re going to punch me?"
The unidentified student answered:
"Yes."
You can see the interaction here:
Spud replied:
"Then you’re going to get in trouble for that."
The student paused briefly, then calmly said:
"Okay."
True to his word, he punched Spud.
A security guard on hand for the planned protest immediately stepped in.
Still playing to his camera, Spud declared:
"I stand for my beliefs! I’m going to peacefully stand here and support my beliefs. I support ICE and law enforcement!"
Brown hoodie guy responded:
"You can go peacefully f*ck yourself."
Spud whined:
"That’s against school code! No swearing in the school!"
What Spud hoped to gain through both his attention seeking "prank" and posting the results of it online is unclear, but sympathy for Spud was largely nonexistent despite his caption declaring himself a victim.
Spud captioned his post:
"Today, students at my high school in Chicago held an Anti-ICE protest."
"I was the only one that decided to hold a sign that said ‘I Love ICE’."
"Instead of allowing me to express my opinion, I was assaulted — Just for standing up for law enforcement."
"What is happening to America?"
@dannyspud_/X
reply to @dannyspud_/X
People recognized the video just captured Spud's typical trolling behavior.
Spuds "prank" videos routinely show him harassing strangers until they're forced to react. No one was buying his support of anything other than self-promotion. Danny Spud doesn't support ICE or law enforcement. Danny Spud only supports Danny Spud.
A screenshot from Spud's original video that mocked him got more likes, views, and shares than his original post.
@Jfcdoomblade/X
@amcnal/Bluesky
In response, Spud announced "a friend" set up a fundraising page for him on the White supremacist, hate group supporting GiveSendGo website.
So far he's raised $800 on his $50,000 goal.
@dannyspud_/X
As for brown hoodie guy, he quickly became a folk hero and a meme across social media.
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In a further attempt to gain sympathy and attention, Spud complained on X that he was banned from Instagram.
Spud wrote:
"After thousands of death threats and people celebrating me getting punched for holding a sign supporting ICE, I was just banned from [Instagram]."
"Another attempt to silence me."
But people weren't allowing Spud to spin his victim narrative.
r/Chicago/Reddit
A community note on X offered the truth about how Spud got himself banned from Instagram.
@dannyspud_/X
The community note reads:
"Danny was suspended after sharing videos in which he pulled fire alarms inside public businesses, an act that violated Instagram’s community guidelines."
In addition to pulling fire alarms, Spud's videos also include throwing loaves of bread from several feet away into the carts of grocery shoppers or trying to redeem fake coupons for free items, all to get a reaction.
Sorry, Danny Spud.
Not even MAGA buys the BS you're selling.
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