by Debra Heine
The alleged “ringleader” in a recent attempt to destroy the Andrew Jackson statue in Washington DC was arrested Thursday, and charged with destruction of federal property.
Jason Charter, a known antifa agitator, was arrested at his home by the FBI and U.S. Park Police as part of a joint task force, Fox News reported.
The militant is alleged to have played a major part in several attacks on historic monuments in recent weeks.
Photos of Charter unmasked can be seen at the Daily Mail and below.
We're going to need an investigation into whether antifa is recruiting from the orc army casting pool from the Lord of the Rings set pic.twitter.com/2IG1nlHdZ3
— Arthur Bloom (@j_arthur_bloom) July 2, 2020
The day before his arrest, Charter was on Twitter complaining that he was receiving death threats and saying he would protect his “castle” to “the fullest extent of the law.”
I didn't think y'all would be dumb enough to threaten to kill me and my family but there y'all are acting like you can make threats to scare me. I'll protect my castle to the fullest extent the law will allow me to so come after me and continue with you empty threats you cowards.
— Jason Charter (@JasonRCharter) July 2, 2020
He was arrested “without incident,” law enforcement sources told Fox.
Charter’s Twitter profile says that he is a “political activist/organizer, and includes the hashtags #IAmAntifa #SmashRacism.
The antifa militant was allegedly in a leadership role on the night of June 22 when a mob of activists tried to pull down the statue in Lafayette Square near the White House.
Several other individuals, including Graham Lloyd, 37, were also arrested in connection with the incident.
The Maine man “is among four suspects facing a federal charge of destruction of government property causing damage over $1,000,” Bangor Daily News reported.
“They were very organized,” a federal law enforcement official said. “Charter was on top of the statue and directing people … they had acid, chisels, straps and a human chain preventing police from getting to the statue.”
The complaint cites a tweet from Charter that says, “Tearing down statues of traitors to the nation is a service to this nation not a crime.”
“At the Jackson Statue incident, Charter is additionally seen wearing a red set of ski goggles and a yellow ventilator mask. Charter’s face is clearly visible at different times during each incident,” the complaint alleges.
The FBI’s criminal complaint against Charter also accuses him of being involved in the destruction of the Albert Pike Historical Statue in Washington earlier this month.
Citing local news video, the FBI alleges that Charter is seen “standing over the toppled Pike Statue, pouring an unknown liquid onto the statue.”
The complaint said: “He is then observed waving others away from the statue, and squatting down behind the statue where his hands are not visible. Seconds later, the statue catches fire. Charter is seen standing over the flames as it burns.”
Additionally, Charter participated in “a June 26 protest at Lincoln Park in Washington – where demonstrators called for the removal of a statue of Abraham Lincoln,” according to the complaint.
During that incident, Charter was caught on video assaulting OANN journalist Jack Posobiec, who later filed an assault report with the police.
Assault, battery & attempted robberty commited by antifa/blm on @OANN's reporter @JackPosobiec in DC
earlier this evening.Clip courtesy of @BreitbartNews edited by moi .. God Blesshttps://t.co/qXrO1MgGg8 pic.twitter.com/QLYiDCks0c
— wlctv.ca (@wlctv_ca) June 27, 2020
UPDATE: The Post Millennial has identified "Goggles" as 25-year-old Jason Charter, a self-described "political activist/organizer" and member of Antifahttps://t.co/vwFC6CSond
— Support New Media (@SupportNewMedia) June 27, 2020
Charter was expected to make an appearance in U.S. District Court in Washington on Thursday, according to Fox News.
“This is a pretty big story, given all the media attention paid to the attempted destruction of these statues and many others across the country,” said Fox’s Doug McKelway. “The proximity to the White House … the first court appearance …”
Doug McKelway turned toward his left and right to sarcastically showcase “the huge throng of media” that were present to report on the story. Of course, no other media outlet besides Fox had showed up to cover the antifa terrorist’s first court appearance because Democrats and their allies in the media want you to believe that antifa violence is a made-up, imaginary problem.
‘This is a pretty big story, given all the media attention paid to the attempted destruction of these statues…”
Fox’s Doug McKelway shows a real-life example of MSM media ’news judgment'… pic.twitter.com/jS9UhWdW3Q— johnny dollar (@johnnydollar01) July 2, 2020
Last week, President Trump signed an executive order directing the Justice Department to prioritize prosecution of activists who damage federal monuments and limit federal funding for local governments that do not adequately protect those monuments.
Trump tweeted last Tuesday that he had authorized federal officials to “arrest anyone who vandalizes or destroys any monument, statue or other such federal property in the U.S. with up to 10 years in prison, per the Veterans’ Memorial Preservation Act, or such other laws that may be pertinent.”
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) July 2, 2020
Department of Justice officials, according to a source with knowledge, have been frustrated that all the statue preservation efforts have been left to the DOJ with zero cooperation from feckless blue mayors in blue states. “The time to save the statue is NOT IN THE COURTROOM but at the time of its toppling,” the person said.
– – –
Debra Heine reports for American Greatness.
Photo “Jason Charter” by Jason Charter.
