DEARBORN — Jake Lang, the far-right Islamophobe who traveled from Florida to Dearborn and attempted to burn a copy of the Holy Qur’an during an anti-Islam demonstration, has filed a federal lawsuit against the city of Dearborn and its officials, claiming he was assaulted and that his constitutional rights were violated. He is demanding $200 million in damages.

In a post on X, Lang, who identifies himself as a Republican candidate for the U.S. Senate in Florida, said the complaint, filed in federal court in Detroit, names the Dearborn Police Department, Mayor Abdullah Hammoud and the Dearborn City Council. He accuses officials of violating his First Amendment right to free expression and failing to protect him from counter-protesters.

Lang had led a small group of anti-Islam demonstrators in Dearborn on Nov. 18 under the slogan “Americans Against Islamization”, where he attempted to burn and desecrate copies of the Qur’an using pork, before local residents intervened and twice wrestled the holy book away from him.

In the lawsuit, Lang claims that he and his group were pepper-sprayed, hit by scattered punches and pelted with food waste and other objects during the protest. He alleges that police “did nothing” to prevent the violence, which he says stopped him from expressing his views in a public space, in violation of the U.S. Constitution.

The demonstration, viewed by residents as deeply offensive and provocative, featured signs and rhetoric widely condemned as Islamophobic. Police ultimately stepped in to de-escalate tensions and prevent the situation from worsening.

Notably, Lang was among the individuals charged in connection with the January 6, 2021 assault on the U.S. Capitol. He faced 11 federal counts, including multiple felony charges for assaulting, resisting or impeding police officers, civil disorder and obstructing an official proceeding.

Lang spent nearly four years in detention while his case moved through the courts. His legal troubles ended earlier this year after he received a full presidential pardon from President Trump in January, resulting in all pending charges being dismissed.

Lang’s lawsuit seeks up to $200 million in financial compensation, in addition to a court order requiring the city to affirm protections for free expression and review police protocols during public demonstrations.