'Prosecute ICE' sculpture at St. Paul Capitol vandalized after unveiling

Mars King, Pioneer Press on Feb 5, 2026

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ST. PAUL, Minn. — An ice sculpture made out of frozen letters spelling “Prosecute ICE” in front of the Minnesota Capitol in St. Paul was vandalized shortly after its unveiling Thursday.

Jake Lang, a Jan. 6 rioter who served four years in prison before being pardoned by President Donald Trump, claimed responsibility for the sculpture’s destruction. Lang posted a video of himself on X, formerly Twitter, kicking the frozen letters.

“I’m currently being arrested outside the Minnesota State Capitol for turning the ‘PROSECUTE ICE’ sign the Democrats erected into the wonderful ‘PRO ICE,'” Lang wrote on X.

The sculpture was installed by veterans with Common Defense, a veteran-led movement dedicated to protecting democracy and combating authoritarianism, according to its website.

“I gave eight years of my life in service to this country in the military. For a January 6 insurrectionist to destroy our display is an attack on the First Amendment veterans like me fought to defend,” said Jacob Thomas, a veteran and communications director for Common Defense, in a news release.

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