Pardoned Jan 6 Rioter Jake Lang Tries To Disrupt BET Awards, Gets Chased Away

Just days after walking out of jail, Jake Lang found himself at the centre of another viral storm.

'Keep running.' The phrase echoes throughout a video widely shared on social media, appearing to capture the moment the pardoned January 6 rioter hurried away from a crowd gathered outside the BET Awards in Los Angeles. As Lang moved alongside a black truck with three other men, someone repeatedly shouted the words while another person threw water in his direction.

The footage has quickly become the latest Jake Lang BET Awards talking point, adding another headline to a year already filled with legal trouble and public controversy.

What Happened Outside The BET Awards?

According to reports, Lang arrived outside the venue wearing a bulletproof vest bearing the American flag. Witnesses alleged he directed racial slurs and stereotypes at people attending the awards ceremony, prompting an angry response from members of the public.

Video circulating online appears to show Lang leaving the area as the confrontation escalated. At one point, someone throws a banner containing anti-Black rhetoric towards him. Lang briefly holds it up to the camera before continuing to retreat.

While there has been no official account detailing the confrontation, the Jake Lang viral video has spread rapidly across social media, with many users referring to it as the latest Jake Lang BET Awards incident.

The internet wasted little time reacting. One user wrote, 'Apparently that moron Jake Lang went to LA to do his Nazi s--t outside of the BET Awards... it didn't go well for him.'

Another posted, 'I swear he's gonna get himself killed with the stupid s--t he does.'

A third added, 'I thought he was in jail again. Guess he bonded out and went straight back to being an idiot.'

Those reactions have only amplified what many are now calling the Jake Lang 'Keep Running' video, helping the footage rack up thousands of shares across multiple platforms.

From Presidential Pardon To Fresh Controversy

For Lang, the confrontation marks another dramatic turn in an already turbulent year.

The pardoned January 6 rioter Jake Lang spent roughly four years in custody after prosecutors accused him of repeatedly swinging a baseball bat at police officers during the 2021 attack on the US Capitol. In 2025, he received a full presidential pardon before briefly launching a campaign for the Republican nomination for Florida's US Senate seat vacated by Marco Rubio. Ballotpedia later confirmed he withdrew from the race ahead of the August 2026 primary.

His legal troubles, however, continued to mount. Earlier this month, Lang was arrested in Frisco, Texas, after authorities accused him of climbing a fence and entering David Kuykendall Stadium, where teenager Austin Metcalf was fatally stabbed in 2025. Prosecutors alleged he attempted to exploit the tragedy to inflame racial tensions despite objections from Metcalf's family.

After posting bond, Lang was ordered to stay away from the local courthouse. Investigators later alleged he ignored those conditions by returning during proceedings involving Karmelo Anthony, who is charged over Metcalf's death.

Authorities also accused Lang of threatening Anthony during a livestream outside the Collin County Courthouse. He was later arrested on a third-degree felony charge of making terroristic threats after officers removed him from a plane before take-off. His bond was eventually reduced from $1 million to $250,000.

Lang was released on 23 June under strict conditions, including wearing a GPS ankle monitor and leaving Texas except for required court appearances.

Why The Video Is Drawing So Much Attention

The timing of the Jake Lang chase footage is difficult to ignore. Within days of his release from jail, Lang was once again involved in a highly public confrontation, this time outside one of the biggest celebrations of Black entertainment in the United States. Whether viewed as political provocation or simply another chapter in Lang's long list of controversies, the images have fuelled intense debate online.

For now, one moment has come to define the incident more than any other. As the video continues to circulate, the repeated cry of 'Keep running' has become the lasting image of the latest Jake Lang controversy, ensuring the BET Awards confrontation remains firmly in the spotlight.