Greg Gutfeld Demolishes Jessica Tarlov’s Defense of Violent Protestors

Thursday night’s episode of The Five delivered another reminder of why the show remains must watch television, as Greg Gutfeld and Jessica Tarlov collided head on over the spiraling anti ICE unrest and the left’s endless habit of blaming law enforcement for the consequences of its own rhetoric. What began as a discussion about protests and enforcement quickly devolved into a familiar pattern, with Tarlov reflexively defending activists while Gutfeld called out the absurdity of the argument.

As the panel discussed violent confrontations in Minnesota, including a shocking incident in which an illegal alien allegedly tried to kill an ICE agent with a shovel, Tarlov placed the blame squarely on ICE. According to her, the agency’s presence and enforcement actions were what fueled the chaos. Gutfeld was having none of it and laid out the problem in plain English.

“You create the environment, and then you complain about the consequences,” he said. “When you kick over a beehive, don’t complain when the bees come after you. When you poke a bear, don’t say, ‘I can’t believe the bear’s chasing me.’”

That analogy hit its mark, which is usually when Tarlov switches to emotional appeals. She shot back by insisting that protesters were simply exercising their rights, saying, “You have a right to stand there and yell at an officer if you want.” Gutfeld immediately pushed back, pointing out that screaming at police is not the same thing as ambushing federal agents or ripping weapons from government vehicles.

“That’s not what we, that’s not what we were talking about,” he said. When Tarlov protested, he pressed on, accusing the left of deliberately encouraging disorder and then acting shocked when that disorder turns violent. He argued that anti ICE activists are intentionally creating chaos so they can later feign outrage when someone gets hurt.

Greg Gutfeld ERUPTS on Jessica Tarlov for accusing ICE agents of causing chaos:

"When you poke a bear don't say 'I can't believe the bear is chasing me!'… You guys are deliberately creating an environment so that there is chaos!" pic.twitter.com/lljH0zqfGn

— Media Research Center (@theMRC) January 15, 2026

As Tarlov talked over him with a string of objections, Gutfeld continued hammering the point that activist groups thrive on disorder. Chaos is not an accident, it is the product. When Tarlov made one last attempt to flip the script and suggest ICE agents themselves were the real agitators, Gutfeld shut it down with a single line that captured the entire exchange.

“How naïve are you?”

The clash highlighted a much deeper divide. Democrats have spent years using reckless and inflammatory language about ICE, including Minnesota Governor Tim Walz, who infamously referred to agents as “Donald Trump’s modern day Gestapo.” Republicans argue that equating federal law enforcement with Nazis does not just inflame tensions, it actively encourages hostility and violence.

Gutfeld made it clear he believes this dynamic is intentional, that the left wants the chaos and then pretends to be horrified by it. Tarlov had plenty of volume, but no argument that stuck.