NORFOLK, Va. (AP) — A man who was photographed wearing a “Camp Auschwitz” sweatshirt during the U.S. Capitol riot last week was arrested Wednesday in Virginia, authorities said.
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Robert Keith Packer, 56, was arrested in Newport News, where he lives. He was charged with violent entry and disorderly conduct on Capitol grounds, and knowingly entering or remaining in any restricted building or grounds without lawful authority.
A law enforcement official said Packer is the man who is seen in a photo inside the Capitol wearing a sweatshirt with the name of the Nazi concentration camp where about 1.1 million people were killed during World War II. The sweatshirt also contained the phrase, “Work brings freedom,” a translation of “Arbeit macht frei,” the German phrase that appeared on the camp’s entrance. The official spoke on the condition of anonymity because the person was not authorized to release details of the case.
The photo of the man in the sweatshirt caused an uproar on social media.
FBI spokeswoman Christina Pullen said a second Virginia man, Douglas Allen Sweet, of Grimstead, was also arrested Wednesday for his alleged participation in the riot. An arrest warrant for Sweet did not immediately appear in federal records.
During a virtual hearing held Wednesday through a federal court in Norfolk, a federal prosecutor said the government would not be seeking detention for Packer.
A federal judge said Packer would be released promptly on a personal recognizance bond. One of the conditions of his release includes barring Packer from visiting Washington unless it’s for a court appearance. His case and others are being prosecuted out of a federal court in the District of Columbia.
Packer said he intends to hire his own lawyer, as opposed to a court-appointed attorney. But he did not identify who would represent him in the case.
A mob of President Donald Trump’s supporters stormed the U.S. Capitol building last week following a rally the president held. Trump insists he won November’s presidential election against now-President-elect Joe Biden.
A Capitol police officer died from injuries suffered in the riot, and police shot and killed a woman during the siege. Three other people died in what authorities said were medical emergencies. Lawmakers had to scramble for safety and hide as rioters took control of the Capitol, delaying by hours the tally of Electoral College votes that was the last step in finalizing Biden’s victory.
Are these the people that we want to align with?
Why are 20,000 US National Guard Troops in DC? Because trump was a success? NO! Because he incited an attempted COUP. You want to make believe 5 didn’t die in the RIOT Down with trump. and a noose for Pence not set up? You want to lie to yourselves that cops weren’t attacked and nazis were in the US CAPITOL? STOP LYING. Down with Trump. Forever.
Why is he not wearing his face mask properly? Doesn’t he care about lives?
Hope he doesn’t get away easy
VIN, why do you show this disgusting person’s face on this site? I don’t have to know what he looks like.
This guy is obviously a white supremist. But that isn’t why they’re after him. Its because he’s a Trump supporter.
Trump said that there are fine people on both sides. The leftist like to focus on a TShirt. The main thing is he supports Trump and is working to Make America Great Again.
The democRATs have been making kristelnacht for months in our cities. In California jewish businesses and cars were destroyed. Trump is the best president for us Jews. The real Jews not the fake reform ones. Long live Trump. We the Orthodox Jews still support Trump and we still have his flags flying in our communities.
BLM which are nothing more than thugs who love Farrakhan funded by Soros actually destroyed private property, and BLM unlike these actually upstanding good REAL Americans dont support criminality or thugs like Eric Garner or George Floyd but support a president who WON but whose election was stolen by the participation of dead people and illegal aliens. Who is the black cop who killed the US patriot in the Capitol? lets protest outside his house like Soros people did in front of the great Daniel Pantaleo.