Pardoned Jan. 6 insurrectionist says he has permit for Minnesota Capitol rally, which state officials deny

Conservative activist Jake Lang is back in Minnesota. This time, the pardoned Jan. 6 insurrectionist claims he has permission to hold his next rally inside the State Capitol.

Lang, posted on X saying, "We have officially secured the permit for the rotunda."

State officials confirmed to WCCO that no such permit has been granted. A spokesperson said Lang was not denied, but the space for the date and time on Feb. 7 had already been reserved by another party. A review of the Capitol's public calendar shows other events already scheduled. 

This announcement of his return comes weeks after a small anti-Islam rally led by Lang and a large group of counter-protesters clashed. 

The 140-acre Capitol complex is open to the public and hosts thousands of visitors annually, but hosting any sort of event requires approval, according to the Department of Administration, starting with a permit application being filled out at least seven days in advance. 

It must include the type of event and expected number of participants. For final approval, applicants must have things such as traffic plan and security safety plans.

Still, there are many reasons why an application could be denied including, if an event would "interrupt the safe and orderly movement of other traffic," or if the event would require a significant security presence "to properly police the line of movement."

Security has been top of mind at the people's house since the killing of House Speaker Emerita Melissa Hortman and her husband Mark in June 2025. 

Last week, Gov. Tim Walz signed an executive order to implement a weapons screening system at the Capitol to ensure safety. The executive order instructs the new security improvements to be implemented by Feb. 17, the start date of the Legislative Session. 

It states clearly, under the Minnesota Administrative Rules: "No public rally in the Capitol complex shall be undertaken unless a permit has been obtained as required in this chapter. Any person violating this chapter, or applicable state or local law, may be subject to prosecution under applicable law."

The Minnesota State Patrol is responsible for the safety and security of the State Capitol. A spokesperson said they are aware and will be staffed appropriately.