STORY: Clashes broke out in downtown Minneapolis on Friday as right-wing influencer Jake Lang was confronted by counter-protesters and later escorted away, amid heightened tensions around demonstrations in the city.

Lang was surrounded by counter-protesters before being escorted out by authorities, as some in the crowd followed and shouted. He was later seen walking with visible blood as police attempted to move him through the area. A protester nearby held a sign reading, “Love Thy Neighbor.”

Minneapolis police warned people to clear the streets and attempted to control the crowd. Counter-protester James Hale said Lang had been “instigating” tensions in recent days and accused his supporters of escalating confrontations, adding that counter-protesters were there mostly to be peaceful.

Other demonstrators said they were protesting what they described as the occupation of their city and broader political ideologies they oppose. Lang alleged in a post on X that he had been stabbed by a counter-protester in Minnesota. Reuters could not independently confirm the allegation.

DESCRIPCIÓN DE IMÁGENES

SHOWS: MINNEAPOLIS, MINNESOTA, UNITED STATES (JANUARY 17, 2026) (REUTERS – Access all)

1. RIGHT-WINGED INFLUENCER, JAKE LANG GETTING CORNERED BY COUNTER-PROTESTERS

2. RIGHT-WINGED INFLUENCER, JAKE LANG GETTING ESCORTED OUT AND FOLLOWED BY

COUNTER-PROTESTERS

3. VARIOUS OF RIGHT-WINGED INFLUENCER, JAKE LANG GETTING ESCORTED AFTER BEING HURT

4. A PROTESTER HOLDING A SIGN THAT SAYS: 'LOVE THY NEIGHBOR'

5. MINNEAPOLIS POLICE WARNING PEOPLE OFF THE STREETS

6. (SOUNDBITE) (English) COUNTER-PROTESTER, JAMES HALE SAYING:

"I don't know a lot about him. He's just been here causing trouble, I know, for the past two days or last week. Yeah, he's been out there at the Whipple building, just kind of instigating, you know, and getting everybody wild up, you know. I mean, they're the only ones escalating. We're here just being peaceful."

7. VARIOUS OF MINNEAPOLIS POLICE DEPARTMENT ATTEMPTING CROWD CONTROL

8. (SOUNDBITE) (English) COUNTER-PROTESTER, LAURA SAYING:

"This is occupying our city. We need to come take a stand. I want people who are privileged enough to be out here without people being detained to be out here fighting for their lives."

9. VARIOUS OF RIGHT-WINGED SUPPORTER OF JAKE LANG GETTING FOLLOWED BY COUNTER-PROTESTERS AND HIM WALKING AROUND WITH BLOOD

10. (SOUNDBITE) (English) COUNTER-PROTESTER, ANDREW ALVARADO SAYING

"I'm out here protesting fascism, and now it's all around Jake Lang and Charlie Kirk, all of them. All of them that hate immigrants, and women and people of color for their faults."

11. COUNTER-PROTESTERS CHASING DOWN A WHITE VAN WITH MINNEAPOLIS POLICE DEPARTMENT.