A far-right activist pardoned by President Donald Trump for his role in the Jan. 6 Capitol attack tried to disrupt a Diwali celebration in Seattle on Saturday, and attendees quickly showed him the door.
Jake Lang and a small group of protesters carried signs reading “Deport All Dot Heads,” a slur against Indians and Hindus, and “Stop Hindu Replacement of Christians,” according to The Statesman, which cited the news agency ANI.
The Coalition of Hindus of North America (CoHNA) said Lang and fellow activist Thomas Allen entered the celebration while children were performing. Some attendees confronted the group, physically stopped them and removed them from the premises, according to the organization.
CoHNA urged Hindus in the Seattle area to stay vigilant, warning that the activists had announced plans to target other Diwali celebrations.
After the incident, Lang posted photos of the attempted disruption on X along with abusive remarks about Hindus, according to ANI. He also accused the Hindu community of turning Texas toward Democrats in Tuesday’s midterms, when James Talarico won the state’s Senate seat and Gina Hinojosa won the governor’s race.
Rep. Pramila Jayapal (D-WA), whose district includes Seattle, condemned the stunt.
“I am beyond disgusted by this vile and racist display,” Jayapal wrote on X. “Diwali is an important holiday and our community should feel safe to celebrate it. This hateful display has no place in our city or this country.”
Indian American businessman Ajay Jain Bhutoria called it “pure hate and bigotry.”
“Diwali is a festival of light, family, and joy — not a threat,” he wrote. “Targeting Hindu Americans and Indian immigrants with racial slurs and conspiracy rhetoric has no place in this country.”
Lang leads a group called White Replacement. He spent about four years in jail awaiting trial on charges including assaulting police officers during the Jan. 6 attack, and Trump pardoned him on the first day of his second term.
He has since claimed this week’s midterm results were “RIGGED.” He has also called for “Christian Crusaders” to descend on the Capitol on Jan. 3, 2027, to protest the certification of the results.
The Seattle incident came days after Trump marked Diwali in the Oval Office with a ceremonial diya lighting. It also follows the arrest of a 19-year-old who allegedly professed Nazi ideology and planned a mass shooting at a Hindu temple near Chicago.
