U.S. Capitol police arrested a man who was carrying banned weapons — including a bayonet and a machete — in a truck scrawled with White supremacist symbols that was outside the headquarters of the Democratic National Committee, the department said Monday.
The driver, 44-year-old Donald Craighead of Oceanside, California, claimed to the cops that he was “on patrol” and started talking about “white supremacist ideology,” the U.S. Capitol Police said.
The arrest was made Monday morning, less than a week before people were set to gather at the Capitol for a rally in support of the hundreds jailed in connection with the deadly Jan. 6 Capitol invasion.
“At this time, it is not clear if he was planning to attend any upcoming demonstrations or if he has ties to any previous cases in the area,” the department said.
The Dodge Dakota pickup truck had “a swastika and other white supremacist symbols painted on it,” according to the Capitol Police. It also displayed a picture of an American flag in place of a license plate.
Craighead was arrested early Monday morning for possessing the prohibited weapons, police said.
“This is an excellent example of the work our officers do every day,” Operational Services Bureau Deputy Chief Jason Bell said in a statement. “We are so proud of these officers for their vigilance.”
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