Political violence in Minneapolis escalated sharply over the weekend, culminating in the beating and stabbing of controversial right-wing activist Jake Lang and a series of additional assaults that have intensified concerns about public order in the city. The incidents unfolded amid an already volatile atmosphere following weeks of unrest tied to immigration enforcement and broader ideological clashes.
WATCH: Conservative Activist Jake Lang was attacked at Minneapolis City Hall today.
A violent mob was allowed to drag him through the streets and he was reportedly also stabbed.
Where was law enforcement?
Time for the Insurrection Act.
— Benny Johnson (@bennyjohnson) January 18, 2026
Lang, 29, traveled to Minneapolis on Saturday to stage an anti-Islam protest, arriving with a small group of roughly ten supporters near the Bishop Henry Whipple Federal Building and Minneapolis City Hall. His demonstration included provocative slogans and messaging in support of Immigration and Customs Enforcement, consistent with past actions that have drawn national attention.
Lang, a former January 6 defendant who spent nearly four years in custody before being pardoned by President Donald Trump last July, has since positioned himself as a confrontational activist, frequently targeting Islam and immigration policy through public demonstrations.
Less than an hour into Saturday’s event, a much larger crowd of left-wing counterprotesters converged on Lang’s group. Video footage shows objects such as water balloons, snowballs, and other projectiles being thrown as the situation rapidly deteriorated. The confrontation escalated when Lang was pulled into the crowd, punched, and dragged by his legs. He was ultimately forced to flee, first seeking refuge in a nearby hotel before escaping by car while being chased.
🚨 BREAKING: Anti-Islam protestor Jake Lang is now getting STAPLES in his head because a violent leftist stabbed his head
This was a result of a STAND-DOWN ORDER to police given from the top from Minneapolis Mayor Frey
HE MUST RESIGN and be CHARGED!https://t.co/rmGEhUtJzN
— Eric Daugherty (@EricLDaugh) January 18, 2026
Footage from the scene shows Lang bleeding from the top of his head. Reports indicate that he was stabbed in the chest by at least one assailant, though he was wearing a chest plate that prevented potentially fatal injuries. The protective gear was later taken by members of the mob and displayed online. Lang later stated that a gash on his head required staples, with on-the-ground journalist Cam Higby reporting the injury was likely caused by a strike from a wooden flag pole. Other members of Lang’s group were also assaulted and left with visible injuries.
More than 9 hours after pardoned J6er Jake Lang was stabbed in Minneapolis, legacy media (assisted by Google, which is pushing the headlines that coincide with its pro-riot narrative) is still downplaying it. @JakeLang planned to burn a Quran, and leftist activists attacked him. pic.twitter.com/Ea1WtSirwJ
— Paul Bond (@WriterPaulBond) January 18, 2026
The violence extended beyond Lang’s protest. Separate footage captured mobs surrounding and assaulting individuals based on perceived political symbolism. In one instance, a man wearing an American flag sweatshirt was attacked and ordered to remove it. In another, a man in a camouflage jacket was assaulted until someone in the crowd declared him “one of us,” at which point the attack stopped. These episodes underscored the arbitrary and appearance-based nature of the confrontations.
