The production of Pawn Shop a new action picture financed by the Daily Wire, erupted into controversy this October in Livingston, Montana. Originally promoted as a “fun action movie” set in the town’s downtown, the shoot quickly attracted protests, complaints about safety, and a temporary shutdown ordered by the city commission. While the film’s premise centres on a federal immigration officer trapped in a pawnshop during a chaotic Minneapolis scene, many of the on-set crew were unaware of that context until filming had already begun.
City commission intervenes and reverses the shutdown
On October 3, Livingston officials halted the shoot after receiving complaints that the production disrupted local businesses, threatened public safety, and used realistic gunfire and pyrotechnics without adequate notice. Two days later, after the producers agreed to stricter permit conditions—such as guaranteeing food-pantry access, limiting noise, and forbidding private security from intimidating residents—the commission unanimously voted to let filming resume. The decision sparked accusations from Daily Wire host Ben Shapiro that the board was acting for “pure politics,” a claim he repeated on his podcast, describing the move as “content discrimination” and a breach of the First Amendment.
