Full Breakdown
Livingston Film Shoot Sparks Food-Bank Disruption and Permit Suspension
By Drooid · · How we work
Background & Context
The Daily Wire began shooting its pro-immigration-enforcement thriller “Pawn Shop” in Livingston, Montana, in late September 2026. The production, starring Danny Trejo, Harvey Keitel and Henry Thomas, recreates the January 2026 killing of immigrant activist Renée Good by an ICE officer in Minneapolis.
Core Event: Filming, Community Impact, and Permit Action
The set was erected across the street from the Livingston Food Resource Center, the county’s only food pantry serving roughly 2,300 people. Road closures and armed security limited access to the pantry’s entrance, eliminating service for five full shopping days.
On October 5, 2026, the Livingston City Commission voted unanimously to temporarily suspend the production permit while seeking legal advice. Commissioner Cindy Daniels cited public-safety disruptions, impact on local businesses, and lack of advance notice for hazardous stunts such as blank-gun fire and pyrotechnics. The matter will return for further review after October 5.
Data & Statistics
- The Food Resource Center reports a 17 % drop in traffic since filming began, with attendance falling to 90-100 households per day.
- The pantry serves about 1 in 8 county residents.
Official Statements & Responses
City officials said the suspension was a procedural response to community complaints, not a judgment on the film’s content. City Manager Grant Gager declined comment; Police Chief Wayne Hard noted daily complaints but no incidents of violence.
The Daily Wire did not immediately respond. In a public hearing, producers asserted they had posted required notices and “canvassed the blocks” where filming would occur.
Criticism & Opposition
Kaya Patten-Fusselman, executive director of the Food Resource Center, called the situation a “dignity aspect” concern, noting patrons were forced to walk past a recreation of an ICE shooting and that city resources, including police, were diverted to secure the set.
Local residents and business owners expressed frustration over the lack of advance notification for road closures and other logistical disruptions. One commissioner said the production “took advantage of the situation” without considering veterans and food-bank clientele.
Conflicting Reports & Gaps
Sources differ on whether filming resumed after the October 5 vote. Some reports indicate the permit was reinstated with contingencies requiring pantry access on Tuesdays and Thursdays; others state the production’s status remained “unclear” as of early October. No definitive update has been provided.
Verbatim Quotes
- “There’s a dignity aspect that’s really concerning to us,” — Kaya Patten-Fusselman, executive director, Livingston Food Resource Center
- “Let us be clear: there’s only one reason the city commissioners ruled they were going to stop our production on the street: politics, pure and simple, and they pretty much admitted it,” — Ben Shapiro
What’s Next
The city commission has scheduled a follow-up review after October 5 to decide whether the permit will be amended, extended, or revoked. The production has agreed to revised conditions guaranteeing pantry access and limiting noisy or hazardous stunts. The outcome will determine if “Pawn Shop” can complete its planned shoot, originally slated to wrap by October 10, 2026.