Clashes between pro-Palestinian protesters and anti-Islamic protesters at Sunday’s Palestine Fest at SeatGeek Stadium in Bridgeview resulted in minor injuries for two police officers but no arrests.
Conservative influencer Jake Lang led a group of about 20 far-right protesters of the cultural festival that included rides and games for all ages, a bazaar for shopping and Palestinian entertainment.
Many more showed up in opposition, with tensions erupting between the groups. Bridgeview Mayor Steve Landek said in a statement two people received medical treatment after being hit with projectiles, and two police officers had minor injuries “but are doing well.”
“Palestine Fest in Bridgeview has been an overwhelmingly positive day, filled with celebration of Palestinian culture and community,” Landek said. “We are grateful to the Illinois State Police, the Cook County Sheriff and neighboring police departments for providing support to our law enforcement team, and we are proud of the Bridgeview Police Department for ensuring protesters were able to exercise their First Amendment rights.”
American Muslims for Palestine’s Chicago chapter organized the event at SeatGeek Stadium, which Lang and his supporters protested as part of a series of anti-Islam rallies across the country. Ahead of the event, Chairman Hatem Al-Bazian said Palestine Fest was “not only about us getting together for a festival,” according to a video posted to American Muslims for Palestine’s social media.
“It’s about celebrating our heritage, our culture, our narrative at the most difficult time in the history of Palestine and Palestinians facing genocide, ethnic cleansing and continued dispossession,” Al-Bazian said, adding “efforts to demonize our presence” made community organization even more important.
He called the planned protest by Lang and his supporters “an astroturfing of Islamophobia.”
Some Democratic state officials, including state Sen. Lakesia Collins and Rep. Lisa Davis, denounced Lang and his supporters as extremists, calling out their use of racist and hateful language and rhetoric, including use of Confederate flag imagery.
“Let’s call this what it is: Jake Lang and his followers intentionally came here for one reason — to disrupt a vibrant cultural celebration, harass families, and manufacture targeted hate right outside the annual Palestine Fest,” Collins, D-Chicago, said in a social media post Sunday.
Davis, D-Chicago, commended the pro-Palestinian protesters for making clear Lang was not welcome at the Bridgeview event.
“Palestine Fest is a day for the Palestinian American community to showcase the vibrancy and diversity of its culture, food and traditions,” she said. “It should not be an opportunity for racists and Islamophobes like Jake Lang to spew hate in an attempt to demean others, incite hostility and stoke fear in our community.”
Lang was charged with assaulting an officer and other offenses during the Jan. 6 insurrection at the U.S. Capitol and was later released from prison as part of President Donald Trump’s sweeping act of clemency.
The influencer on Monday said two of the anti-Islamic protesters were hit with rocks Sunday and injured, requiring stitches. Four vehicles were also damaged, he said.
Lang condemned Bridgeview’s mayor and Police Department for failing to arrest counter-protesters, calling them “weak and feckless,” and hinted at the possibility of recruiting followers to speak out at a Village Board meeting.
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He said he worked with police Chief Ricardo Mancha ahead of Sunday’s protest to ensure his and other protesters’ safety but said police from the village and other responding agencies had failed them.
“County prosecutors would love nothing more than to sink their teeth into me for my First Amendment peaceful demonstrations,” Lang said, saying he was grateful to not be arrested during the chaos.