Minneapolis residents and local Spider-Man drive out Jake Lang, escorted by MPD, drawing outrage

Jake Lang, an infamous white supremacist and Jan. 6 rioter, is currently behind bars at the Hennepin County Jail after driving on the sidewalk outside City Hall before being chased away by residents for a second time this year. Around a hundred residents showed up, including a Spider-Man impersonator, whose presence quickly went viral across social platforms. While the community was successful, many are still demanding answers regarding how the city’s police seemed to prioritize Lang’s safety over others.

“This is not the place for this, and why our city officials have even allowed it to come this far is beyond me,” said Katie, a Minneapolis resident. “I came out today because this is absolutely wrong. I’ve never been to one of these things, ’cause he’s nonsense, but I felt like today we had to take a stand, because this is out of control.”

Lang is unfortunately no stranger in Minneapolis. He first tried to hold an anti-Muslim rally on Jan. 17, which was also met with Minneapolis protesters, and led to him being chased out. He announced last month on social media that he would be returning to City Hall to lead a “peaceful Freedom of Speech” rally, using the N-slur on multiple promotional flyers. He was unsuccessful once again, with over 100 counter-protesters already holding their own demonstration in front of City Hall during the time Lang was scheduled to be there.

“I think it’s good for the community to stand united against white supremacy and institutional racism,” said Trahern Crews, co-founder of Black Lives Matter Minnesota. “A lot of times speech can become policy, and then policy becomes law, and then when that law is implemented, a lot of laws are rooted in anti-black racism.”

Sidewalk standoff escalates

Fewer than a dozen individuals showed up for Lang’s scheduled rally. Lang and six others, including far-right activist Jayden Scott, showed their faces briefly when they decided to drive across the sidewalk that was initially barricaded. MPD Interim Chief Bill Peterson said it was a decision that, while police had been planning how to supervise the area for weeks, left the department unprepared.

 “Both vehicles unexpectedly and abruptly drove onto the sidewalk adjacent to City Hall, traveling eastbound at a very slow speed through the crowd,” Peterson said during a press conference on Saturday. “Almost immediately, a confrontation developed between members of the crowd and individuals associated with both vehicles; a chemical irritant believed to be mace was deployed by individuals on both sides.”

Crowds of protesters gathered around the vehicles to confront Lang before mace was deployed by a man dressed as a law enforcement officer, hired by Lang. Protesters threw water balloons, bottles, glitter, and other items at the group, as they tried to pull the offensive signs away from the instigators.

At one point, the man dressed as Spider-Man jumped onto the back of Lang’s truck and began attacking him before he was pulled away. He was later photographed being arrested by Minneapolis police. The man who was allegedly the Spider-Man impersonator has since been released from jail, with many rallying to support his court date on Sept. 8.

Questions surrounding MPD escort

Jake Lang was effectively run out of the City Hall area within 10 minutes; however, counter-protesters grew outraged at the way Minneapolis police escorted Lang’s caravan out of the area. Videos and photos show MPD officers forming a barricade around Lang’s group, pushing away counterprotesters attempting to reach the vehicle. Protesters at the scene claimed the MPD prioritized Lang’s safety over theirs.

“MPD told us that we couldn’t have our vehicles on the street and then let Jake Lang drive up here in a truck on the sidewalk, protecting him from the crowd?” said Jay Yates, an organizer with Freedom Road Socialist Organization, at the scene. “MPD protects white supremacy, because those are their friends. It’s absolutely disgusting that in the city where they murdered George Floyd by torturing him for nine minutes, they would do that and think that the community wouldn’t respond and get angry.”

The protesters were outraged at the police escort provided to Lang and his group, especially due to the violently racist posters and rhetoric that Lang came to spread. However, many say they were not surprised, citing MPD’s alleged consistency at upholding racism against the community.

“Unfortunately, Mayor Frey and the police department defended white supremacy today. And they defended it in real time with Jake Lang, but they continue to do it,” Crews said. “They did it with the murder of Amir Locke. They did it with Minneapolis and some of the biggest housing disparities in the United States. It’s not just standing up against Jake Lang, as you can see; we’re standing up against Jake Lang, Mayor Frey, and the Minneapolis Police Department.”

City leadership responds

Chief Peterson was asked during Saturday’s press conference why police formed a barricade around Lang, instead of directing him off the road, and said that due to the suddenness of his driving onto the sidewalk, “I don’t know that officers had the opportunity to direct those vehicles specifically one way or another.” 

“We certainly talked to the mayor about this. It was not safe for us to make any sort of arrests on those individuals in that large crowd,” Chief Peterson continued. “The best thing, from my perspective, was what did occur and direct those vehicles to leave the area, which essentially de-escalated things.”

Mayor Jacob Frey and MPD announced the arrest of Lang and his co-conspirators later that Saturday, with help from Minnesota State Troopers, after both vehicles were stopped and shortly impounded after the events at City Hall.

“If you’re going to come and you’re going to drive on the sidewalk, you’re going to be a problem for people’s safety,” Mayor Frey said. “Then you’re going to get arrested for damage.”

As of Sunday evening, Lang is still being held without bail at the Hennepin County Jail. Immediately after he was chased out, the community reflected on what felt like a success after chasing him away once again.

“I’m not afraid of a white supremacist, and nobody else should be either, because they thrive on that fear,” Yates said. “When we actually show up and confront them, it shows that we can win and that we outnumber them.”