A Seattle c was disrupted by far-right activists Jake Lang and Thomas Allen, who interrupted cultural performances with anti-Hindu and anti-India slogans. The demonstration at the Seattle Center Armory on Nov. 7 drew condemnation from U.S. lawmakers and Indian American leaders, bringing renewed attention to the activists behind the protest and the rise of anti-Indian sentiment in the country.
Lang and Allen protested with signs bearing the racial slur “Deport All Dot Heads” and another message reading “Stop Hindu Replacement of Christians.” The incident took place during Diwali: Lights of India, organized as part of Seattle Center Festál. Videos of the confrontation circulated on social media, prompting widespread criticism.
Who is Jake Lang?
Lang came to national attention following his involvement in the Jan. 6, 2021, attack on the U.S. Capitol. He faced 11 criminal charges, including assaulting law enforcement officers and civil disorder. Prosecutors alleged that he attacked police officers with a baseball bat and a riot shield.
Lang did not stand trial. President Donald Trump granted him clemency, along with nearly 1,600 other defendants involved in the Capitol attack, in January 2025.
Lang has since remained active in far-right political circles and has been associated with an organization called White Replacement. His involvement in the Seattle protest has brought renewed attention to his political activities and rhetoric.
READ: Anti-Hindu slogans disrupt Seattle Diwali event; Jayapal, Krishnamoorthi condemn display (November 8, 2026)
U.S. lawmakers condemn Seattle Diwali disruption
The incident drew criticism from U.S. lawmakers and Indian American leaders, who condemned the anti-Hindu and anti-India messages displayed during the celebration.
Congresswoman Deborah Ross described the demonstration as “despicable.” Ross wrote on X: “The racist, anti-Indian protests at a Diwali event in Seattle are despicable and must be unequivocally condemned. To those in the Indian American community, please know I stand with you amidst a terrifying rise in anti-Indian sentiment in the US.”
Former White House adviser Ajay Jain Bhutoria also criticized the demonstration, describing it as “pure hate and bigotry.”
U.S. Congressman Adam Smith condemned the incident, saying, “We must always stand against hatred and bigotry. Everyone should be welcome to celebrate their holidays, and I feel for the Hindu Washingtonians who were targeted yesterday.”
Meanwhile, Sunita Vishwanath, co-founder of Hindus for Human Rights, also took to X to condemn the Seattle incident. However, she drew a parallel with similar incidents faced by minorities in India at the hands of right-wing groups.
READ: From state capitols to city halls, Diwali shines across America (November 6, 2026)
Seattle protest amid wider Diwali celebrations
The Seattle incident occurred during a week of Diwali celebrations across the U.S. On Nov. 6, President Donald Trump participated in a Diwali ceremony in the White House Oval Office, lighting a traditional diya alongside Indian American officials, business leaders and prominent members of the Indian diaspora.
The gathering included India’s Ambassador to the U.S., Vinay Mohan Kwatra; celebrity chef Vikas Khanna; entrepreneur Vishal Gondal; IBM CEO Arvind Krishna; FBI Director Kash Patel; and National Institutes of Health Director Jay Bhattacharya. Gondal presented Trump with a copy of the Hanuman Chalisa.
The contrasting events drew attention across the U.S. and renewed calls among lawmakers and members of the Indian American community for greater recognition of anti-Hindu and anti-Indian sentiment.
According to a report by the Center for the Study of Organized Hate (CSOH), anti-South Asian hate speech on X increased by 240% between January 2025 and June 2026. Lawmakers have also condemned political leaders for allegedly promoting hostility toward South Asian communities in the U.S.