A downtown Minneapolis rally led by conservative internet personality Jake Lang was cut short on Saturday after a significantly larger group of counterprotesters surrounded and pushed his small contingent out of the area. The dueling demonstrations took place near City Hall amid heightened tensions over federal immigration enforcement actions in the city.
Lang – a right-wing activist pardoned for his role in the January 6 attack on the U.S. Capitol – promoted the event as the “March Against Minnesota Fraud,” referencing a federal investigation into alleged misuse of state social service funds. Prosecutors have said billions in taxpayer dollars may have been diverted from low-income assistance programs since 2018, with multiple defendants of Somali origin facing charges. Officials have tied the scandal to immigration enforcement priorities, drawing controversy and criticism from local leaders.
Despite Lang’s calls for a large turnout, roughly 10 supporters appeared alongside him. The opposing demonstration, organized under the banner “Defend Our Neighbors,” drew several hundred participants who voiced support for Muslim, Somali, and immigrant communities. Counterprotesters chanted against federal agencies, held signs, and played loud music to drown out Lang’s speeches. Temperatures hovered near 10 degrees Fahrenheit as the rallies unfolded.
Within minutes, counterprotesters pressed Lang’s group toward the side of City Hall. Witnesses reported thrown water balloons and shouting as the crowd advanced. After about an hour, Lang and his supporters retreated on foot toward a nearby hotel, followed by a large crowd that continued chanting as they moved through downtown streets.
Video clips circulating online showed brief scuffles, including moments where Lang appeared to fall to the ground and later sat inside a vehicle as people kicked at the door. Lang later claimed online that someone attempted to stab him during the confrontation, saying a protective vest stopped the blade. Minneapolis police said they could not verify that claim and added that no formal police report had been filed as of Sunday. Officers stated that no injuries were officially reported and no arrests had been made.
A visible police presence, including Minneapolis officers, county deputies, and tactical units, monitored the demonstrations from a distance. Authorities occasionally instructed demonstrators to keep clear of streets but did not intervene directly in the confrontation between the two groups.
The day’s events unfolded against the backdrop of an ongoing federal deployment of approximately 3,000 immigration agents to the Minneapolis–St. Paul area following the shooting death of 37-year-old U.S. citizen Renee Good by an ICE officer on January 7. The killing and the federal response have intensified political friction between Minnesota officials and the Trump administration, which has opened investigations into state and city leadership.
On Friday, a federal court issued an order limiting the ability of immigration agents to confront protesters in Minnesota, barring retaliation for protected speech and restricting the use of force. Organizers of the counterprotest said they intended the event to remain non-violent and chose not to march in order to avoid escalation, adding that they could not determine who was responsible for the physical altercations involving Lang.
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