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INDIANAPOLIS – A heavy metal guitarist who was photographed inside the U.S. Capitol during the Jan.6 uprising surrendered to the FBI on Sunday afternoon, according to Indianapolis FBI spokeswoman Chris Bavender .
Jon Ryan Schaffer, originally from Indiana and founder of the Iced Earth group, is accused of using “bear spray,” a pepper-based irritant sold by many outdoor retailers, on police officers while rioters were pushing their way into the Capitol building. A federal statement of the facts in his case indicates that Schaffer was seen in photographs and videos “engaging in verbal altercations with the Capitol building police insider” and holding a container of anti spray -bear.
He had been featured on an FBI poster asking the public for help in identifying protesters. Several people contacted by IndyStar identified Schaffer as the man seen in a photo on Capitol Hill.
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Bavender said Schaffer faced six counts, including committing an act of physical violence in a Capitol building, Bavender told IndyStar. He is also accused of knowingly entering or remaining in any building or restricted land without legal authorization, of disrupting the orderly conduct of government business, of violent entry and disorderly conduct into a Capitol building, of committing an act of physical violence in a Capitol building, and demonstration or picketing in a Capitol building.
The US Department of Justice published charges against dozens of people for crimes committed on the U.S. Capitol on January 6 on its website.
Five people died on January 6 when a crowd, fueled by President Donald Trump’s false claims that a ‘stolen’ election, stormed the Capitol in an attempt to prevent lawmakers from confirming the victory of President-elect Joseph Biden . A policeman was among those killed.
On the FBI poster, the image of Schaffer is tagged Photograph # 25. Schaffer wears an Oath Keepers beanie in the photo. The group is characterized as a militia of former law enforcement and military personnel, but is labeled an extremist anti-government group by the Southern Poverty Law Center.
Schaffer has attended Trump rallies in the past and propagated conspiracy theories. He was once a guest on the far-right radio show of Infowars conspiracy theorist Alex Jones, and he told a German news channel last November that an obscure criminal enterprise was trying to run a world government in part of a communist program. He and other Americans, he said, were prepared for the bloodshed to prevent this.
The statement of fact, filed in federal court by an FBI agent whose name is redacted in the document, says:
“Schaffer, who is the frontman of the heavy metal band ‘Iced Earth,” has long held extremist right-wing views. In a 2017 interview, Schaffer identified himself as an ‘anarchist’ and called the federal government a ‘criminal enterprise. In that same interview, Schaffer said the 2016 presidential election was “ rigged. ”
On November 14, 2020, Schaffer participated in the ‘Million MAGA March’ in Washington, DC with other members of Oath Keepers. Schaffer was pictured wearing the same blue hoodie and clear plastic sunglasses he wore on January 6, 2021.
“Schaffer was approached by a member of the press during the month of March (in November) and made numerous statements indicating his intention to join others in fighting the election results – with violence if necessary. Specifically, Schaffer said the following: My name is Jon Schaffer, I’m from Indiana. A bunch of thugs and criminals hijacked this country a long time ago. And now they’re taking their big step, and this won’t happen … People have to wake up and get out of the Matrix, because they’re breaking down. They’ve made the trip, they’ve played with the wrong people here, trust me on that. we needed it to be open like that. Open fraud. Open theft. Because now we see you, and you get off, notice my words. When asked if he expected the protest to involve violence, Schaffer said “if anyone wants to bring violence, I think we there are many here who are ready for it. I want that, but if they bring it, we’ll answer it, trust me.
Schaffer went on to say: ‘We are not going to merge into a globalist and communist system, that is not going to happen. There will be a lot of bloodshed if it comes down to that, trust me. The American people will not leave. for that (expletive) once they figure out what’s really going on. So that’s where we are. No one wants that, but they push us to a point where we have no choice. “
Schaffer and his band appeared in the pages of The Indianapolis Star in 2001 after Schaffer’s rise to prominence. Schaffer hasn’t said anything publicly, but four of his Iced Earth bandmates have posted a statement on Instagram and Facebook opposing the insurgency.
“We absolutely do NOT condone or support the riots or acts of violence in which the rioters were involved on January 6 on the US Capitol,” they wrote. “We hope that everyone involved on this day will be brought to justice to be investigated and held accountable.”
This article originally appeared on Indianapolis Star: Iced Earth Guitarist Jon Schaffer Arrested by FBI after Capitol Riot
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