US Capitol police arrested a man outside the Democratic National Committee headquarters on Monday who had a bayonet and a machete in his truck, which was covered with a swastika and white supremacist symbols, CNBC reported.
Donald Craighead, 44, of Oceanside, California told police that he was “on patrol” and began uttering “white supremacist ideology,” according to Capitol police.
Craighead’s Dodge Dakota pickup truck had “a swastika and other white supremacist symbols painted on it,” said police. It was also missing a rear license plate, instead having a picture of an American flag.
Both the bayonet and a machete are banned weapons, for which Craighead was arrested.
“This is an excellent example of the work our officers do every day,” Operational Services Bureau Deputy Chief Jason Bell said in a statement.
The arrest came only days before a “Justice for J6” Washington DC rally in support of the hundreds jailed after the January 6 Capitol attack is set to go ahead on Saturday.
The event’s organizer, former Trump staffer and political consultant Matt Braynard, told CNBC that the rally would be a “peaceful protest” without any violence.
Capitol police are still determining Craighead’s motives.
“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,” police said.