A right-wing activist known for his unwavering support for former President Trump and a call for Democrats to walk away from their party has been arrested for participating in the Capitol uprising.
Brandon Straka, 43, is charged with several crimes, including obstructing a law enforcement officer during civil disorder and disorderly conduct with the intent to disrupt a trial before Congress, for his role in the January 6 siege.
The former New York hairstylist and self-described ‘former liberal’ is best known for launching the ‘WalkAway’ campaign, which prompted liberal voters to leave the Democratic Party. Earlier this month, Straka announced that Facebook had removed the campaign with more than half a million followers.
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 a criminal complaint that was not sealed on Monday, prosecutors said Straka posted several photos and videos during the riots. Court documents say investigators were looking into Straka’s involvement when a tipster indicated he had posted a post video on Twitter on January 6 in which the activist shouted: “Go, Go!” near the entrance of the Capitol.
“Also be shy and hide if you need to, but I was there. It was not Antifa at the Capitol. It was freedom-loving Patriots who were desperate to fight for the final hope of our Republic, because literally no one cares about them. Everyone else can expose them. I will not, ”Straka also wrote in a tweet on January 6.
Prosecutors allege that Straka took several videos during and after the riots. In one January 7 video, the activist admits: ‘Yesterday many of us got up very, very early. We went to this event in which Donald Trump spoke. The plan was always to go to the Capitol. We would march from that event … to the Capitol, and there’s going to be another rally. I was one of the speakers who spoke at the Capitol. ”
Straka says that when he walked to the Capitol, he heard that patriots had entered it.
“Wow, so they’re basically going to storm in and try to get into the room so they can demand that we get the investigation we want,” he said according to the complaint in the January 7 video.
Straka claimed when he saw “bursts of tear gas coming out of the doors.”
‘Shortly afterwards a man came out’ who told him: ‘They have cleared Congress. Everyone is over. There is no one else inside. Everyone turns around. Nobody else comes in, ‘says Straka.
Despite Straka’s long video claiming he was not directly involved in the riots, screenshots of his Twitter account show he encouraged MAGA supporters to storm the Capitol.
“Patriots at the Capitol – HOLD. THE. LYN !!!! He wrote in one tweet on January 6. In another, Straka added that he arrived at the Capitol a few hours ago when Patriots stormed from all sides. I was very close to entering myself when the police started tearing us from the door. ”
‘I’m completely confused. For 6-8 weeks, everyone on the right says ‘1776!’ & that if Congress moves forward it will mean a revolution! Congress is therefore moving forward. “Patriots storm the Capitol – now everyone is expressing their embarrassment that this has happened,” Straka wrote in another post.
The complaint notes that the FBI received many tips about his involvement, including one from a family member, who said they saw a video of Straka on the “tip” of the Capitol. The family member added that Straka could be heard saying, “We’re going in. We’re going in,” in a video later posted on Youtube titled, “Straka attacks the Capitol on January 6.”
In the eight-minute video taken on January 6, a Capitol police officer is seen holding a protective shield while trying to stop a crowd of rioters. As individuals pass by the officer to break into the Capitol, Straka is heard shouting, “Take it from him” and “Take the shield!”
Several people in the crowd then grabbed the officer’s shield while Straka kept shouting, ‘Take! Take it! “
As Straka continues to move closer to the Capitol entrance, he turns the camera to look at himself and says, ‘They use gas. We are now gassed. ”
Straka’s popularity among right-wingers has increased since he launched the “WalkAway” campaign in 2018. On Monday, he was a guest on Greg Kelly’s podcast, Newsmax, to discuss ‘his war with the far left’ and Facebook’s decision to remove its campaign page.
This was not immediately clear when the interview was recorded. (According to court records, however, prosecutors originally filed charges against Straka on January 20.)
In June, American Airlines was banned from American Airlines after refusing to wear a mask on a flight to Dallas. After a heated exchange with an airline employee while boarding for the flight at La Guardia airport, he was distracted from the plane.
In an interview with The New York Times After the incident, Straka claims that he has a medical condition that prevented him from wearing a mask. (Straka, however, did not elaborate on his condition.)
“My feeling was that the airline had given in to the mob mentality, which I think is currently taking place all over our country,” Straka insisted.