A right-wing activist known for his unwavering support for former President Trump and for urging Democrats to step aside from his party was arrested for participating in the Capitol insurrection.
Brandon Straka, 43, has been charged with a number of crimes, including preventing a police officer during civil unrest and engaging in disorderly conduct with the intention of disrupting a Congressional hearing for his role in the Jan. 6 siege.
The former New York City hairdresser who calls himself an “ex-liberal” is best known for starting the “WalkAway Campaign”, which urged liberal voters to leave the Democratic Party. Earlier this month, Straka announced that Facebook had removed the campaign page, which had 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 filed on Monday, Straka state prosecutors posted several photos and videos during and after the riots. Court documents say investigators were informed of Straka’s involvement when an informant indicated that he posted a video on Twitter on January 6 in which the activist shouted: “Go, go!” near the entrance to the Capitol.
“Also, be ashamed and hide if you need to, but I was there. It was not Antifa on the Capitol. It was freedom-loving Patriots who were DESPERATE to fight for the ultimate hope of our Republic because, literally, no one cares about them. Anyone else can report them. I’m not going, ”Straka also wrote in a January 6 tweet.
Prosecutors claim that Straka made several videos during and after the riots. In a January 7 video, the activist admits: “Yesterday, many of us got up very, very early. We went to this event that Donald Trump spoke about. The plan has always been to go to the Capitol. We were going to march from that event … to the Capitol, and there would be another rally. I was one of the speakers scheduled to speak at the Capitol. ”
Straka says that as he walked to the Capitol, he learned that “patriots had entered” him.
“Wow, they are basically going to storm and try to get into the chamber so they can demand that we get the investigation we want,” he said in the January 7 video, according to the complaint.
Straka then stated that he saw “tear gas explosions coming out of the doors”.
“A little later, a man came out” who said to him: “They cleaned up Congress. Everyone left. There is no one else inside. Everyone turns around. No one else came, ‘”says Straka.
Despite Straka’s long video stating that he was not directly involved in the riots, images from his Twitter account show that he encouraged MAGA supporters to invade the Capitol.
“Patriotas at Capitólio – HOLD. A. LINE !!!! “he wrote in a January 6 tweet. In another, Straka added that he” arrived at the Capitol a few hours ago when the Patriots were attacking from all sides. I was very close to entering when the police started throwing us with tear gas through the door. ”
“I am completely confused. For 6-8 weeks, everyone on the right has been saying ‘1776!’ and that if the congress goes ahead, it will mean a revolution! So the congress moves on. Patriots invade the Capitol – now everyone is signaling their embarrassment that this has happened, ”wrote Straka in another post.
The complaint notes that the FBI received many clues about his involvement, including one from a relative, who said he had seen a video of Straka on the “imminence” of entering Capitol Hill. The relative added that Straka can be heard saying, “We are entering. We are entering ”, in a video later posted on Youtube with the title“ Straka attacking the Capitol on January 6 ”.
In the eight-minute video made on January 6, a Capitol Police officer is seen holding a protective shield while trying to stop a crowd of protesters. As individuals pass through the officer to enter the Capitol, Straka is heard shouting, “Take it from him” and “Take the shield!”
Several people in the crowd grab the officer ‘s shield while Straka continues to shout, “Take it! Take it!”
As Straka continues to approach the Capitol entrance, he turns the camera to face himself and says, “They are using gas. We are being gassed now. ”
Straka’s popularity among right-wingers increased after he started the “WalkAway” campaign in 2018. On Monday, he was a guest on the Newsmax host Greg Kelly’s podcast to discuss “his war with the leftists” and the decision of the Facebook to remove your campaign page.
It was not clear when the interview was taped. (According to court records, however, prosecutors originally filed charges against Straka on January 20).
In June, Straka was barred from American Airlines after refusing to wear a mask on a flight to Dallas. After a heated discussion with an airline employee while boarding for the flight at La Guardia Airport, he was driven off the plane.
In an interview with The New York Times after the incident, Straka claimed that he had a medical condition that prevented him from wearing a mask. (Straka, however, did not elaborate on her condition.)
“My feeling was that the airline succumbed to the crowd mentality, which, I feel, is happening everywhere in our country right now,” insisted Straka.