Jake Lang avoids felony charges after Minneapolis protest clash

Hennepin County prosecutors have declined to bring felony riot charges against far-right activist Jake Lang following a violent confrontation during a demonstration at Minneapolis City Hall on August 22, 2026. Lang, a former January 6 defendant who received a presidential pardon, led a group that drove vehicles onto a sidewalk toward counter-protesters, prompting a chaotic clash involving chemical irritants and physical altercations.

County Attorney Mary Moriarty stated that the decision was based on legal evidence, noting that the office could not prove the requisite intent for felony charges due to extensive communication and logistical coordination between the Minneapolis Police Department and Lang’s security detail. While Lang will not face felony charges, he may still face misdemeanor or gross misdemeanor offenses from the City of Minneapolis.

During the incident, a man dressed in a Spider-Man costume, identified as William Love, was involved in a physical scuffle with Lang and was subsequently arrested and charged with misdemeanor assault. The demonstration, which Lang described as a rally for free speech, drew significant criticism from local officials and community organizers due to its inflammatory rhetoric regarding Islam and racial issues.