A far-right activist's anti-Muslim remarks during public comment forced the Duval County School Board to halt its meeting Monday, Nov. 9, and clear the chambers.

Jake Lang, a former Jan. 6, 2021, Capitol riot participant pardoned by President Donald Trump, attended the meeting wearing what appeared to be a bulletproof vest, WOKV reported. Lang identified himself as a crusader and made comments about the Muslim community that drew immediate backlash, according to News4JAX.

Attendees began yelling "hate speech" after Lang made comments including "Muslim cockroaches have invaded the holes of our liberty," WOKV reported. Nearly a dozen people left the room, saying the remarks should not be allowed.

Board Chair Charlotte Joyce stopped the meeting and moved everyone outside. Joyce had arranged for extra law enforcement earlier in the evening to escort disorderly attendees, News4JAX reported. After a break, public commenters were brought back in one by one.

Sources disagreed on the length of the recess. News4JAX described a 10-minute break. The Florida Times-Union reported the board resumed about 20 minutes later, with effects of the heated emotions lingering almost until the meeting ended near 11:30 p.m.

The disruption came as 101 people signed up for public comment at the monthly meeting, the Florida Times-Union reported. Both supporters and critics of board member Tony Ricardo packed the room. Ricardo, who represents District 1, has faced calls to resign since Nov. 1 after a critic circulated a Facebook message Ricardo appeared to have shared that said "Islam is not a religion … Islam is an invasive political cult." The post has since been deleted from Ricardo's personal Facebook page.

Ricardo declined to talk about the post when reached by the Florida Times-Union on Nov. 5. No public response from Ricardo to Monday's meeting disruption appeared in available reporting.

"Folks were trembling in here," board member Darryl Willie said, according to the Florida Times-Union.

Vice Chair April Carney, whose term was ending, said she did not feel safe. "… Tonight we became one of those other school boards who are going to be all over the internet for God knows how long," Carney said. "… This is not how I wanted to end my tenure."

Ranna Abduljawad, a Muslim American and Duval County Public Schools (DCPS) parent, told News4JAX that accountability is essential. "There's absolutely a teaching moment," Abduljawad said. "It can't be done unless the board really holds him accountable and push for him to publicly apologize or for his resignation."

Board member Melody Bolduc said she was "praying for healing for our community." She added: "Our children are watching and I'd like them to see something better than they saw tonight."

Lang is a Florida U.S. Senate candidate who has a history of anti-Muslim actions. In November 2025, he attempted to burn a Quran at a rally in Dearborn, Michigan, and told Dearborn City Council members "you guys don't live like we do. We don't want you in our country," Daily Sabah reported.

The Nov. 9 meeting was the last for three board members whose successors were chosen in the Nov. 3 election, the Florida Times-Union reported.