Conservative Activist Brandon Straka Charged in Capitol Breach

Brandon Straka, founder of the #WalkAway Campaign, speaks at the CPAC convention in National Harbor, Md., on Feb. 28, 2020. (Samira Bouaou/The Epoch Times)

A conservative activist was arrested Monday for allegedly impeding law enforcement during the Jan. 6 breach of the U.S. Capitol.

Brandon Straka, a Democrat-turned-Republican who started a group called WalkAway, was taken into custody in the U.S. District of Nebraska, the Department of Justice said.

According to a criminal complaint, Straka was charged with impeding a law enforcement officer during civil disorder, knowingly entering and remaining on restricted grounds without lawful authority and/or engaging in disorderly conduct within proximity to a restricted building to impede official functions, and engaging in disorderly conduct with intent to disturb a hearing before Congress.

Straka never entered the Capitol on Jan. 6, but he tried to, an FBI special agent said in an affidavit. Citing video footage from Straka’s social media, and tips from an alleged relative of the accused, the agent said Straka relayed how he walked up a set of stairs to the Capitol and observed two large metal doors. In another video, Straka could be heard saying, “We’re going in. They’re saying we’re going in. We’re going in. We’re going in. The people are going in.” He urged people near the entrance to push their way into the building and called on the crowd to wrest a shield away from a U.S. Capitol Police officer.

Straka didn’t respond to an inquiry. He did not have a lawyer listed on the court docket.

Straka is expected to appear in court on Tuesday.