Iced Earth, and so forth. guitarist Jon Schaffer has given his first interview since being arrested for his involvement within the January 06th, 2021 riots on the U.S. Capitol. Schaffer was seen on safety footage and photographed as being among the many mob who had stormed one of many entrances of the constructing. He was arrested by authorities and detained for 3 months shortly after the riot. Upon his preliminary arrest, Schaffer confronted the next six expenses:
- 1) Knowingly Coming into or Remaining in any Restricted Constructing or Grounds With out Lawful Authority
- 2) Disrupting the Orderly Conduct of Authorities Enterprise
- 3) Knowingly Partaking in an Act of Bodily Violence Towards any Particular person or Property in any Restricted Constructing or Grounds
- 4) Violent Entry and Disorderly Conduct in a Capitol Constructing
- 5) Partaking in an Act of Bodily Violence in a Capitol Constructing
- 6) Parading, Demonstrating, or Picketing in a Capitol Constructing
Nevertheless, authorities recognized him as having ties to the far-right militia group the Oath Keepers, although his involvement in that group was disputed by the Oath Keepers themselves. Authorities appeared assured in his data nevertheless, with Schaffer cooperating with the legislation enforcement relating to their investigations into the riot.
In consequence, Schaffer, who claimed to have been subjected to fecal and urine assaults from different inmates throughout his preliminary time in custody, was finally launched and is claimed to have continued to offer “substantial help” to authorities.
In gentle of his cooperation, he was was in a position to strike a plea cut price, coming into responsible pleas to the fees of obstruction of an official continuing of Congress, and trespassing on restricted grounds of the Capitol whereas armed with a lethal or harmful weapon (bear spray).
In October of 2024, he was formally sentenced to a few years probation, and ordered to finally pay $2,200 in restitution, in addition to serve 120 hours of neighborhood service. You may view his sentencing memorandum at this location.
Shortly after his sentencing, Schaffer issued this assertion, expressing his remorse for his actions on the U.S. Capitol. Now Schaffer has given his first interview since his with a church-affiliated podcast, It Is Later Than You Suppose. In that dialogue, Schaffer mentioned the next of what led him to attend the protests that finally led to the riots on January 06th:
“Within the well-known interview that I did [at a November 2020 Donald Trump rally in Washington, D.C.] that they confirmed in all places, I mentioned, this isn’t about President Trump. I imply, I consider that he’s man who loves his nation. However the American individuals are labored up as a result of we’re sick of the tyranny. And he occurs to be the figurehead towards that. However for me, I’d’ve been simply as pissed off in the event that they stole the election from the Democrats, as a result of that implies that’s the tip of our republic, which really has been hijacked for a really very long time… I’m simply anti-tyranny. I would like individuals to be free. I would like individuals to have the ability to be free to talk their minds, to worship, to dwell, to prosper.
That’s what we’ve been instructed our complete lives that’s what our nation stands for. We understand how a lot we’ve been lied to, however the reality is that’s what it was based upon. And so they have demonized all the pieces about our historical past to the purpose that if we don’t deliver frequent sense again into this dialogue, will probably be unrecognizable.
Now I understand my habits wasn’t the best habits and wasn’t the neatest factor that I ever did, however it was entrapment — 100%. I imply, there’s little question. The reality is gonna come out about this. The dangerous factor is I do know higher. However I let my feelings get an entire deal with on me, and I feel there was a pressure at work there, which I can’t actually put into phrases.”
Schaffer additionally outlined his recollections of his actions on January 06th, stating:
“It took me an hour to get to the Capitol as a result of attempting to stroll shortly by way of lots of individuals like that was not a simple factor to do… It was solely a mile, however, which usually I might knock that out fairly fast. But it surely was simply packed. There have been individuals throughout you and shifting at completely different paces and a few very unfit individuals shifting at actually gradual paces — I’d say a number of these. But it surely was already chaos once I bought there. And I simply went form of in a straight line.”
He continued:
“It was form of like an power move going that manner, however it was clearly a number of chaos already happening. From what I heard, individuals began earlier than Trump was even completed talking, heading over there, stirring up hassle. And so I don’t know what number of of these individuals can be agent provocateurs… However I used to be moving into and went up the steps… I didn’t see any entrances being breached. I really didn’t see any of that. So I don’t know the place that came about. I simply noticed the identical movies that different individuals have. However I used to be going up the steps and I felt what seemed like concussion grenades going off. It was loud. It sounded prefer it was throughout the constructing. After which tear gasoline canisters had been blowing up excessive of us and these ladies had been coming down the steps. They had been most likely 50 toes aside, crying. They’re destroying stuff up there. That’s not what that is about.
So I’m, like, getting extra charged up, like, ‘What’s happening?’ I didn’t know what was happening. I didn’t count on that patriots had been setting off flash bangs or concussion grenades or no matter I used to be listening to. It doesn’t make sense as a result of that’s not what the motion’s about. It’s not a violent motion. You possibly can see that. It’s a really family-oriented motion. I’d say that most people are simply freedom loving, most likely a number of Christians and a number of of good-hearted People… And so destroying property, that’s not what we do. That’s not our factor.
So it turned an increasing number of alarming as I used to be getting increased up the steps. And there have been individuals on the scaffolds and a number of stuff was being mentioned and yelled and folks had been yelling and I noticed guys coming down that had been sprayed, which is form of a bizarre factor to see if you see it for the primary time, as a result of it takes a second for you understand, after which, after all, I discovered. [Laughs] However they will’t see. However they give the impression of being regular if you’re ’em. However you then see that they will’t see ’trigger they’ve been tear gassed or pepper sprayed or no matter, chemical irritant. And so I simply went up. I don’t even know if I had a mannequin of the Capitol, if I might inform you the place I used to be.
However there have been scaffolds proper subsequent to the stairway that was going up and there was a deck up there.. But it surely appears like it might be a spot that perhaps they do pictures or one thing. The doorway that I went in, there was no handles on the doorway. These had been doorways that I’m sure are very safe. I noticed the police officer — he was masked up, however I nonetheless recognized him; I acknowledged him — speaking. I noticed him by way of the glass speaking. He was on the opposite aspect of the door. The door was not opened at this level, and he was wanting up on the digicam speaking, and I’m assuming that he was telling central command there to unlock these doorways, as a result of these doorways, I can virtually assure you, are magnetically sealed. I imply, it’s the Capitol of the US. You’re not gonna be capable to simply take a hammer and break a window and attain round and seize… And there was no handles on the outside anyway… I noticed him do it… Or at the very least perhaps they weren’t mechanically open, however regardless of the mechanism is, the magnetic mechanism.
And so he opens the door and some individuals come out, and simply because the door was closing, there was one other group of those that yelled, ‘Hey, can we go in there?’ And he mentioned, ‘Yeah, come on in.’ They let ’em in. Then the door closed and a few time period later one other group got here dashing out, and that’s after they mentioned, ‘The cops are afraid. They’re beating an previous man in there. Let’s go.’ And that’s what I bought caught up in was that very last thing. And it wasn’t too lengthy after that I bought in there that I noticed the cop that was speaking to open the door simply standing very calmly up within the stairs.
‘Trigger such as you undergo the corridor and there’s a methods down, there’s a staircase up right here. And he’s, like, three or 4 steps up, simply along with his arms crossed, all the pieces. After which the cops are backpedaling as a result of we’re coming in. After which I caught off to the aspect — which, hell, at this level may very well be disaster actors for all I do know. I don’t know. It was simply pandemonium. I begin yelling at ’em. The police, when it seemed wish to me like an previous biker vet was getting hit with a baton by the one which was on the far finish on the fitting, and I began yelling at him and yelling about them not holding their oaths and ‘Congress is stuffed with criminals.’ ‘What are you doing?’ No matter. Not good issues, I’m certain, I used to be saying. However then I bought sprayed.”
Within the aftermath of the incident and his arrest, Schaffer has since gone on to embrace faith, getting baptized and continuously attending church. When requested if he considered his baptism as being a rebirth of kinds, Schaffer acknowledged:
“Simply that. I do know that it doesn’t assure salvation or one thing like that. That’s not the purpose. It was a extra of that I had no alternative once I was a child, and this was a alternative that I needed to make. That’s all, actually. There’s nothing extra to it. And so I did. After which I moved again to Indiana and located you great individuals [at Cornerstone Church] and realized how a lot we now have in frequent. And I don’t know.
It’s simply superb the best way God works. And so I feel the following degree after me finding out God’s phrase, going to Lakeview Church — I nonetheless watch Lakeview Church companies on Sunday nights once I get dwelling from work. As a result of I be taught, and I wish to be taught. The following step was once I forgave my dad and mom.
That was an enormous step. It was an enormous one. ‘Trigger I didn’t understand it. It was simply a kind of issues — the Holy Spirit instructed me, revealed it to me one way or the other. Like, ‘Dude, you possibly can’t not forgive your dad and mom.’ .. And it’s nonetheless a journey. I feel it’s all the time gonna be a wrestle simply because the human side of it.””
As for his alleged involvement with the Oath Keepers, he defined:
“There’s the entire faux story of the Oath Keepers factor. I imply, sure, I signed as much as be a supporter of Oath Keepers when it first began, and I don’t even keep in mind what yr that was. I’d say it was like [200]9, [20]10, [20]11. I don’t know after they began, however it was proper initially, I noticed an interview with [Oath Keepers founder] Stewart [Rhodes] and I used to be simply, like, ‘Yeah.’ I imply, who wouldn’t need elected officers and first responders in army to take their oath significantly? Why is {that a} dangerous factor?
So, yeah, I despatched regardless of the cash was — I don’t even keep in mind the fee; it was eight or 9 hundred bucks — and also you get the final word swag and the lifetime membership and no matter. And I suppose technically I’m [a founding member] as a result of I despatched them cash and I used to be most likely one of many first, ’trigger I used to be tremendous excited once I heard about it, ’trigger I spotted even at the moment, like, we’re in deep trouble. I had been awake for some time. So, anyway, they created the entire narrative. I didn’t have any data on Oath Keepers, and I’m not even certain that these guys broke any legal guidelines. The one individual I recognized was the cop that opened the door.”
He went on so as to add:
“The Oath Keepers factor, that was a story that they created to attempt to get others to interrupt, as if I had some form of data. I imply, dude, I’m a touring heavy metallic man. I’m not the founder chief of a militia. And I’m not even certain that they did something flawed. I don’t know. I didn’t see any violence. I noticed the mainstream media saying, ‘They walked up the steps in a army stack formation.’ I’m wanting on the footage. It appears form of like they’re making their manner up the steps. However that was the narrative, and I couldn’t say something. I used to be threatened to make any public assertion — threatened. ‘It’s gonna go very dangerous for you at sentencing when you say something.’ ‘Trigger they knew they had been making a false narrative.”
Talking on the general aftermath of the riots and the authorized motion taken towards the members that adopted, Schaffer acknowledged:
“I feel the J6ers, in addition to our president, have gone by way of probably the worst political persecution, most likely the worst political persecution within the historical past of the nation. And the harm that’s completed, a few of it’s by no means gonna be repaired. And it doesn’t matter if we win a lawsuit towards the federal authorities for all of the abuses of our rights. I imply, that’s cash, man. That’s not gonna get again. You’re not gonna get your repute again. Some individuals died, some individuals killed themselves, man, due to the stress… It’s simply horrible what went on.
The tales and the reality is gonna come out. I count on there’s gonna be a number of books. However I feel most of the those that had been in there have been Christians anyway. And actually, I do know that — at the very least on my cell block there have been. That additionally helped me come round to it as a result of there was a number of love there amongst us. It was a reduction to me after being within the hellholes that I used to be at to be — if I’m gonna be locked up, these are the blokes I wanna be locked up with. However I simply hope that as dangerous as it’s that every one of all of us are gonna be capable to discover the peace and energy in Christ. That’s the place it’s at. It’s the one place you’re gonna get it. It’s the one manner you’re gonna get any peace. There isn’t a treatment that’s gonna assist this. Cash’s not gonna assist it. Solely Jesus may help this.”
Schaffer later went on to say the next of being pardoned by Donald Trump earlier this yr:
“The president saved his phrase. I feel he’s the one politician in my lifetime that does what he says he’s gonna do. Do I agree with him on each single factor? Nope. Will I agree with all people on each single factor? Nope. However he’s a person of honor. That’s for certain. You may say a number of issues about him… However I feel it’s essential for the therapeutic of the nation as a result of… Clearly, many individuals are brainwashed by the narrative. Folks suppose I used to be a rat towards the Oath Keepers, like I had some form of data. I had no details about what these guys had been doing. That’s in my little bubble. Half of the nation believes that individuals had been there for a violent rebel, as a result of that’s been repeated again and again and over by the faux information and the mocking chook media.
We’ve bought to have some severe truths laid out to the American individuals, no matter that’s gonna find yourself wanting like.I feel it’s coming. And there’s gonna be these which might be so locked and underneath thoughts management that they’re not gonna be capable to deal with it or received’t settle for it or no matter. However there’s a horrible evil, and it doesn’t have something to do with the political get together. There’s evil in each events on this nation and in all places. And so perhaps some huge reality bombs are gonna come out that can shock the populace to some extent that we are able to really heal and are available again collectively.
I consider deeply in our Invoice Of Rights and the Structure and particularly that wonderful, lovely Declaration Of Independence. I imply, that’s the doc for me. And I simply suppose that we now have to be shocked, we now have to undergo one thing that’s gonna make individuals… We’ve gotta come collectively, man. We’ve gotta come collectively and get again to being People, and I feel solely the reality is gonna try this at this level.
If issues come out that I’m fairly satisfied have been happening and turns into mainstream, then it’d be the factor that… I can’t see the way it couldn’t deliver us all collectively. I simply can’t see the way it couldn’t, as a result of there’s code in jail for those that harm youngsters. You already know what I imply? That’s a line within the sand. There’s a really, very small group, group of those that suppose that’s okay… Most people should not okay with that. So I simply suppose that even a few of these individuals, as brainwashed [as they are or] no matter, when the true crimes towards the kids get uncovered, then it’s gonna be a factor that, if something, can unite us by way of on the planet and in politics. I see that as being an opportunity. However, anyway, it’s God’s plan that’s rolling out and there’s no stopping that.”
Schaffer additionally communicated that he might finally return to music, although it can seemingly be faith-based:
“There’s a number of releases that I’ve bought up my sleeve that we’re gonna be engaged on. When it comes to new materials, I’m gonna give that somewhat little bit of time. I have to know that there’s clear creative route and never one thing that’s manufactured by me. As a result of I’ve completed sufficient information in my profession to know a few of ’em had been wedged into schedules as a result of excursions on both aspect and also you’re form of pressured right into a writing mode due to schedule pressures and different commitments.
And typically working underneath stress is de facto nice, and different occasions you’re going by way of the motions. And so no matter I’d do going ahead, I solely wanna do one thing that’s gonna be nice. I don’t need something to be pressured. And I would like it to glorify God. And I feel there’s simply a lot, from a inventive standpoint… There’s really been some biblical stuff all through my catalog anyway, however from the eyes of a Christian now, like, man, there’s a lot inspiration there that hopefully would have impact on individuals. So I hope that comes again to me. I hope that it’s, like, ‘Okay, it’s time. Activate.’ However I don’t know.”
