WASHINGTON (NewsNation Now) — United States Capitol Police arrested a California man outside the Democratic National Headquarters driving a truck with white supremacist symbols and carrying multiple weapons.
The Dodge Dakota pickup truck was pulled over by Capitol Police around midnight Monday because they noticed it did not have a license plate but an American flag in its place. It also had a swastika and other white supremacist symbols painted on it.
Once the truck was searched, officers noticed a bayonet and machete inside. Capitol police noted in a press release that both are illegal in Washington, D.C.
“This is good police work plain and simple,” said Chief Tom Manger in a statement. “We applaud the officers’ keen observation and the teamwork that resulted in this arrest.”
The driver, 44-year-old Donald Craighead of Oceanside, California, was arrested on suspicion of possession of prohibited weapons.
Craighead espoused white supremacist ideology when stopped and told authorities he was “on patrol.”
The arrest comes as the Capitol area is on high alert for potential threats after the Jan. 6 Capitol riot and subsequent security incidents.
In August, a man launched a multi-hour standoff outside the Library of Congress by claiming he had a bomb in his car. Earlier this year, a Capitol officer died after a man rammed his car into a security checkpoint gate.
This coming Saturday, a “Justice for J6” rally is expected to bring hundreds to the Capitol who believe the rioters were wrongly prosecuted. They also want an independent investigation into the death of Ashli Babbit, who was shot by a Capitol Police officer during the riot.
Law enforcement is ramping up security precautions, including reinstalling fencing around the Capitol, ahead of the “Justice for J6” rally.
