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A right-wing activist known for his unwavering support for former President Trump and urging Democrats to quit their party has been arrested for participating in the Capitol uprising.
Brandon Straka, 43, has been charged with a number of felonies, including preventing a law enforcement officer during civil unrest and engaging in disorderly conduct with the intent to disrupt a congressional hearing, for his role in the siege of January 6.
The former New York barber and self-proclaimed “former liberal” is best known for launching the “WalkAway campaign,” which urged liberal voters to quit the Democratic Party. Earlier this month, Straka announced that Facebook had removed the campaign page, which had more than half a million subscribers.
In June, Straka also made national headlines after being banned from American Airlines for refusing to wear a mask on a flight to Dallas amid the coronavirus pandemic.
In an unsealed criminal complaint on Monday, Straka state prosecutors released several photos and videos during and after the riots. Court documents say investigators were made aware of Straka’s involvement when an informant said he released a Twitter video from January 6 in which the activist shouted, “Come on, come on!” near the entrance to the Capitol.
“Also – be embarrassed and hide if you need to – but I was there. It wasn’t Antifa on Capitol Hill. They were freedom-loving patriots who were desperate to fight for our Republic’s last hope because no one cares. Anyone can denounce them. I won’t, ”Straka also wrote in a Jan 6 tweet.
Prosecutors say Straka took several videos during and after the riots. In a Jan. 7 video, the activist admits: “Yesterday a lot of us got up very, very early. We went to this event in which Donald Trump spoke. The plan was still to go to the Capitol. We were going to walk from this event… to the Capitol, and there was going to be another rally. I was one of the speakers scheduled to speak on Capitol Hill.
Straka said that as he walked to the Capitol he had learned that “patriots had entered.”
“Wow, so they’re basically going to storm and try to get into the bedroom so they can demand that we get the investigation we want,” he said in the Jan. 7 video, according to the complaint.
Straka then claimed to have seen “bursts of tear gas coming out of the doors”.
“Shortly after, a man came out” who said, “They cleared Congress. Everybody is gone. There is no one else inside. Everyone turns around. No one else came inside, ”Straka says.
Despite Straka’s lengthy video claiming he was not directly involved in the riots, screenshots from his Twitter account show that he encouraged MAGA supporters to storm the Capitol.
“Patriots on the Capitol – HOLD. THE. LINE !!!! “he wrote in a tweet on Jan. 6. In another, Straka added that he” arrived at Capitol Hill a few hours ago as Patriots stormed from all sides. J was about to enter myself as the police started to fire tear gas at us from the door.
“I am completely confused. For 6 to 8 weeks, everyone on the right has been saying “1776!” and that if the Congress advances, it will mean a revolution! Congress is therefore moving forward. Patriots storm Capitol Hill – now everyone is virtually signaling their shame that this has happened, ”Straka wrote in another post.
The complaint notes that the FBI received extensive advice about its involvement, including that of a relative, who said they saw a video of Straka about to enter the Capitol. The parent added that Straka could be heard saying, “We’re going in. We’re Going, ”in a video later posted on Youtube with the headline“ Straka Attacking Capitol Jan. 6 ”.
In the eight-minute video taken on January 6, a Capitol Police officer is seen holding a protective shield as he attempts to stop a mob of rioters. As individuals push the officer to break into the Capitol, Straka is heard shouting, “Take him off” and “Take the shield!”
Several people in the crowd then grab the officer’s shield as Straka continues to shout, “Take it!” Take it!”
As Straka continues to approach the entrance to the Capitol, he turns the camera to face himself and says, “They’re using gas. We are gassed right now.
Straka’s popularity among right-handed people increased after he launched the ‘WalkAway’ campaign in 2018. On Monday, he was invited to Newsmax host Greg Kelly’s podcast to discuss ‘his war with left-wing extremists’ and Facebook’s decision to delete its campaign page.
It was not immediately clear when the interview was recorded. (According to court records, however, prosecutors initially filed charges against Straka on January 20.)
In June, Straka was kicked out of American Airlines after refusing to wear a mask on a flight to Dallas. After a passionate exchange with an airline employee while boarding the flight at La Guardia airport, he was kicked from the plane.
In an interview with The New York Times after the incident, Straka claimed he suffered from a health condition that prevented him from wearing a mask. (Straka, however, did not specify his condition.)
“My feeling was that the airline had succumbed to the crowd mentality, which I think is happening all over our country right now,” Straka insisted.
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