US political activist Jake Lang accused a Seattle cat convention of promoting a sexual fetish to children, despite the event being a festival for cat lovers, pet owners and animal rescue organisations.
Lang filmed himself confronting people outside the Sea-Meow Convention at Seattle Center on Sunday 8 November 2026. He described the gathering as a “furry convention” and alleged that children were being “groomed”. The accusations were not supported by the event’s published programme.
What the footage shows
In videos posted online, Lang points to people wearing cat costumes and ears near the venue and challenges apparent event staff about children attending. A member of staff tells him: “This is a convention for cats.”
Lang continues questioning why people in animal costumes are present. The footage does show costumed attendees, but it does not establish any sexual activity or wrongdoing. Wearing an animal costume, whether for a themed event or as part of furry fandom, is not itself evidence of sexual behaviour.
In a post on X dated 8 November, Lang claimed he had “busted up” the event and made sweeping accusations against Democrats. The video establishes that a confrontation took place outside the venue. It does not establish that Lang shut down the convention.
What Sea-Meow actually organised
The Sea-Meow Convention ran on 7 and 8 November at the Seattle Center Exhibition Hall. The pre-event listing in Seattle’s Child advertised more than 100 cat-themed traders, adoptable kittens, feline-care talks, activities for families and appearances by cat welfare experts.
Its published contests programme included a cat costume competition and a cat-calling contest. Those activities provide an ordinary explanation for some of the costumes visible outside the entrance. Sea-Meow did not advertise itself as a convention devoted to furry fandom.
The organisers’ charity information says 15% of ticket proceeds were allocated to animal welfare partners, including Seattle Animal Shelter, Seattle Humane and groups caring for stray or unadoptable cats.
Organisers ask for an apology
Sea-Meow organisers said they were confused when Lang arrived shouting outside the event. In comments reported by PinkNews, they said anyone doing basic research would have discovered it was a cat convention. They called for Lang to apologise for directing profanity at people outside a family-friendly gathering.
Their response raises a straightforward question: how did an event advertising animal welfare, pet-care workshops and a costume contest become the subject of allegations about sexualising children?
A mistake or a deliberate provocation?
The evidence does not establish why Lang characterised Sea-Meow as a furry event. He may have misunderstood its purpose, or he may have chosen a more inflammatory description to attract attention. Neither explanation can be presented as a proven motive.
What can be checked is the mismatch between his public claims and the published event information. There is no evidence in the footage or the programme reviewed by Fish 4 News that the convention was organised around sexual activities involving children.
Lang is a US political activist who was a defendant in proceedings arising from the 6 January 2021 Capitol attack. President Donald Trump’s January 2025 clemency proclamation covered many January 6 defendants and directed the dismissal of remaining pending cases.
Watch the confrontation
Warning: the video contains profanity and offensive language. The following NowThis clip shows the exchange outside the convention.
If the player does not load, watch the footage on YouTube or view Lang’s original post on X.
What remains unclear
The video does not show Lang closing the convention, and it does not establish whether he ever entered the exhibition hall. Nor does it prove whether he genuinely mistook a cat convention for something else. Those questions remain unanswered.
Follow this story
For confirmed updates about this incident, see our Jake Lang and Sea-Meow coverage.
