Quran-Burning Chaos: J6 Activist Jake Lang Storms Dearborn, Triggers Street War with Muslims

Yesterday, tensions boiled over in Dearborn, Michigan, home to the largest Arab-American population in the U.S., when far-right activist Jake Lang led a provocative "Americans Against Islamification" march that spiraled into street brawls, pepper-spray deployments, and heated confrontations with Muslim counter-protesters. The event, captured in viral videos and livestreams, highlighted deep cultural divides in the city, where over half the residents are of Arab descent and the mayor is Muslim.

What Happened: A Timeline of the Escalation

Afternoon March on Michigan Avenue: Lang, a self-described "January 6 political prisoner" and Florida-based activist recently pardoned by President Trump, arrived with a small group of supporters waving American flags, crosses, and a banner reading "Americans Against Islamification." They chanted phrases like "Islamification of America ends today!" while accusing the city of operating under "Sharia law" and promoting "demographic replacement." He also said Muhammad was demonic.

Provocative Acts Ignite the Spark: The group halted at Schaefer Road and Michigan Avenue, where Lang pulled out a Quran and attempted to burn it with a lighter, an act thwarted multiple times as counter-protesters snatched it away. He then slapped the book with strips of bacon, a deliberate insult in Islam where pork is forbidden. This led to immediate scuffles, with reports of shoving, macing, and at least one punch thrown at Lang.

Counter-protesters, including pro-Palestinian groups, outnumbered the activists hundreds to dozens, chanting "Allahu Akbar" and holding up Qurans in response.

Journalist Assault and Police Response:

Independent reporter Cam Higby, live-streaming for his outlet Today Is America, was attacked during the chaos, punched, robbed of his phone, and having his camera damaged. Higby later confronted Dearborn Mayor Abdullah Hammoud at the evening city council meeting, accusing police of refusing to file reports or provide officer details during arrests at a related protest encampment.

Dearborn police maintained a heavy presence with about seven squad cars, using barriers to separate crowds and intervening to prevent major injuries. One arrest occurred at City Hall, but no serious injuries were reported overall.

Evening Showdown at City Hall: The march proceeded to the Dearborn Administrative Center for the 7 p.m. council meeting. Lang stormed the podium, demanding President Trump deploy ICE to "clear out" the city, railing against "chain migration" and shouting "Jesus is King" before being escorted out. Higby also spoke, calling out the mayor on police inaction.

Outside, rival crowds clashed verbally, with far-right supporters taunting residents over Islam, immigrants, and minorities.

Key Players and Backdrop

Jake Lang: The 30-year-old organizer, charged in the 2021 Capitol riot (where he entered the building but was recently pardoned), frames himself as a Christian nationalist fighting "Islamic takeover." He arrived in a bus formerly linked to Michigan GOP gubernatorial candidate Anthony Hudson, which Lang spray-painted with "cuck" after Hudson backed out.

Lang's rhetoric included claims like "They're outbreeding our women!" and calls to "clear Michigan of Muslims."

Anthony Hudson's Flip: The Republican candidate had planned his own "American Crusade" rally but canceled after visiting local mosques, apologizing for past "fearmongering" and condemning Quran-burning. CAIR-Michigan welcomed the change, but Lang vandalized Hudson's ex-campaign bus in retaliation.

Dearborn's Context: With a population over 100,000 (55% Arab-American), the city has faced "rising Islamophobia", including online threats and past protests over Gaza. Mayor Hammoud, re-elected on November 4, urged non-engagement and emphasized the city's multicultural fabric.

Michigan Democratic Party Chair Curtis Hertel condemned the Quran attempt as "unacceptable hate."

The clashes drew swift backlash: Right-wing commentators hailed Lang as "based," while critics, even some conservatives, called it a "self-inflicted disaster" alienating Trump-voting Muslims from 2024.

CAIR praised Hudson's remorse but decried the event as fueled by misinformation.

Police urged calm, and the city council meeting proceeded amid barriers and chants. As one X user put it: "This could get ugly..." – and for a few chaotic hours, it did.