This post previously appeared on Business Insider.
The northern Virginia apartment of a prominent libertarian and gun rights activist was raided by police just days after he posted a video on YouTube of him apparently loading a shotgun in Washington D.C.’s Freedom Plaza.
Marine veteran Adam Kokesh was arrested by U.S. Park Police on charges of drug and weapons possession, according to a Washington Post report by Trishula Patel and Justin Jouvenal.
Fox News is reporting that Kokesh is refusing to leave his cell for arraignment.
A statement posted on Kokesh’s website describes a raid with numerous law enforcement vehicles, including two helicopters and a light armored vehicle, and roughly 20 SWAT team members.
Lt. Pamela Smith, with the U.S. Park Police, told the Post that a search warrant was executed Tuesday evening at Kokesh’s home in Herndon, Va., in search of a weapon.
On July 4th, the 31-year-old activist uploaded a video to YouTube of him loading a shotgun. Possessing a loaded weapon is a violation of the District’s strict gun laws.
“We will not be silent. We will not obey. We will not allow our government to destroy our humanity. We are the final American revolution. See you next Independence Day,” Kokesh said in the video.
This after he planned a “10,000-strong” July 4 march on Washington of people with rifles. Needless to say, it didn’t happen.
This is not Kokesh’s first clash with authority. He previously had his honorable discharge from active duty downgraded to general under honorable conditions for wearing his uniform to an anti-war protest. He also once heckled Sen. John McCain during the 2008 presidential campaign and was briefly detained by authorities.
