An aspiring conservative candidate was left bloodied after being attacked during a volatile protest against alleged fraud in Minnesota over the weekend.
Jacob Lang, who is running for a Florida Senate seat, organized what he called an anti-fraud demonstration in downtown Minneapolis on Saturday.
The protest quickly spiraled into chaos as it unfolded alongside a much larger anti-ICE demonstration already underway in the city.
Lang was seen shouting into a microphone, directing inflammatory remarks toward Somali immigrants and demanding they be sent back to Africa.
Counter-protesters vastly outnumbered Lang’s small group, creating a tense and hostile environment almost immediately.
Video footage shows Lang standing near a building when a man grabbed his legs and dragged him into the crowd.
As he was pulled through the mass of people, another individual appeared to throw multiple punches toward the back of his head.
Moments later, Lang was seen with a visible line of blood running down the back of his neck.
The extent of his injuries remains unclear, and authorities have not confirmed whether any arrests were made.
Minneapolis police were already on high alert ahead of the protest, with SWAT teams and armored vehicles positioned downtown.
Lang’s demonstration was branded the March Against Minnesota Fraud, referencing allegations tied to the misuse of federal funds involving a Somali daycare operation.
Only about a dozen people joined Lang, according to reports, leaving his group badly outmatched by counter-protesters.
Lang is a controversial figure who was previously accused of participating in the Jan. 6 Capitol protest.
He spent more than four years in jail awaiting trial before receiving a presidential pardon from President Donald Trump.
Lang has repeatedly described himself as a political prisoner following his release.
His past includes accusations of using a baseball bat and shield against the Capitol Police during the 2021 protests, per the Daily Mail.
The protest route was set to begin at Minneapolis City Hall and move toward the Cedar Riverside neighborhood, home to many Somali immigrants.
Lang reportedly vowed to burn copies of the Quran during the march, prompting residents to threaten blockades.
The National Guard was placed on standby due to concerns that the protest could turn violent.
Tensions in Minneapolis have been high since the fatal shooting of Renee Nicole Good by an ICE agent earlier this month.
That incident sparked days of protests against Trump’s immigration enforcement policies.
Trump has cited Minnesota fraud cases as justification for deploying thousands of ICE agents to the state.
Lang has been a vocal supporter of those efforts and has appeared at multiple pro-ICE rallies in recent days.
Approximately 3,000 ICE and Border Patrol agents have been deployed across Minneapolis and St. Paul.
Lang is seeking the Florida Senate seat vacated by Marco Rubio after Rubio became secretary of state.
His campaign has drawn attention more for controversy than policy as the race begins to take shape.
