Founder of the grassroots #WalkAway Campaign, Brandon Straka, was taken into federal custody on Monday in Nebraska for his alleged involvement in the January 6 Capitol Riot.
He is being charged with:
- Impeding law enforcement officer during civil disorder;
- Knowingly entering and remaining on restricted ground without lawful authority and/or engaging in disorderly conduct within proximity to a restricted building to impede official functions;
- Engage in disorderly conduct with intent to disturb a hearing before of Congress.
Straka filmed himself at the U.S. Capitol entrance and can allegedly be heard among others who yelled at the police officer who was guarding it, “Take it away from him! Take the shield! Take it! Take it!”
In the same video, Straka turned the camera to himself as he was a few feet from the door and claimed, “They’re using gas. We’re being gassed right now.”
The criminal complaint is also using Straka’s tweets as evidence for the charges and was sent to the FBI as screenshots (as they were deleted) from January 6.
Other tweets include:
- “I arrived at the Capitol a few hours ago as Patriots were storming from all sides. I was quite close to entering myself as police began tear-gassing us from the door. I inhaled tear gas & got it in my eyes. Patriots began exiting shortly after saying Congress had been cleared.”
- “I’m completely confused. For 6-8 weeks everybody on the right has been saying ‘1776!’ & that if congress moves forward it will mean a revolution! So congress moves forward. Patriots storm the Capitol – now everybody is virtual signaling their embarrassment that this happened.”
- “Also- be embarrassed & 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 nobody cares about them. Everyone else can denounce them. I will not.”
- “Perhaps I missed the part where it was agreed this would be a revolution of ice cream cones & hair-braiding parties to take our government back from lying, cheating globally interested swamp parasites. My bad.”
The FBI agent also noted that Straka was also using the same sunglasses and coat from the January 5 “Stop the Steal” rally.
The affidavit says that the witnesses used in the investigation describe themselves as a relative.