Anti-Muslim protester attempts to burn Quran in Minneapolis
Tensions in Minneapolis boiled over on Saturday when a small group led by Jake Lang—a January 6 rioter recently pardoned by President Trump—was chased out of downtown by counter-protesters. Lang had attempted to stage a Quran burning and blasted the song "Ice Ice Baby" to mock the city's immigrant community, just days after the controversial ICE shooting of Renee Good.
- World
- Agencies and A News
- Published Date: 03:59 | 18 January 2026
A small group staged an anti-Muslim demonstration in Minneapolis, Minnesota, attempting to burn a copy of the Quran in an incident that heightened tensions already running high over recent immigration enforcement actions. Among those involved was Jake Lang, a participant in the January 6 U.S. Capitol riot who was later pardoned by President Donald Trump.
The protest unfolded outside Minneapolis City Hall, where Lang and a handful of supporters gathered with the stated intention of burning the Quran. The city has been on edge following operations by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) and protests sparked by the recent fatal shooting of an American woman by ICE agents.
In a post on the social media platform X, Lang announced his plans, writing, "I will burn the Quran in Minneapolis to protest the Somali occupation, demand the immediate deportation of Ilhan Omar, and the arrest of Governor Tim Walz."
The demonstration quickly escalated as counter-protesters who had been rallying against ICE confronted Lang's group. Witnesses reported scuffles between the two sides, with anti-ICE demonstrators angrily demanding that Lang leave the city. Videos circulating online showed Lang being jostled by the crowd before he fled the scene in a vehicle.
U.S. media outlets described the attempted Quran burning as a deliberate provocation in a community already shaken by the January 7 killing of a U.S. citizen during an ICE operation. The incident has added to fears of rising hate-driven agitation.
Lang has a history of similar actions. On November 19, 2025, he attempted to burn the Quran in Dearborn, Michigan—home to one of the largest Muslim populations in the United States—prompting widespread condemnation.
Minneapolis has seen ongoing protests against ICE since the shooting, with demonstrators continuing to gather despite President Trump's warning that he could invoke the Insurrection Act to restore order.