Man with bayonet and machete arrested near DNC headquarters: police

A California man was arrested near the Democratic National Committee (DNC) headquarters early Monday morning after Capitol Police found a bayonet and machete in his car.

Donald Craighead, 44, was arrested for possession of prohibited weapons after a Capitol Police officer pulled him over and found the weapons in his truck, which are illegal in Washington, D.C., authorities noted.

At around midnight on Monday, Capitol Police said a Special Operation Division officer who was on patrol pulled over a Dodge Dakota pickup truck outside DNC headquarters that had a swastika and other white supremacists symbols painted on it.

The incident occurred along the 500 block of South Capitol Street SW, according to authorities.

The Capitol Police released photos of the truck on Twitter in which the white supremacy emblems are visible.

USCP Officers Arrest California Man with Bayonet & Machete: https://t.co/0mhsoOC8vX pic.twitter.com/9SR1NXsJV6

— U.S. Capitol Police (@CapitolPolice) September 13, 2021

The truck did not have a license plate, according to Capitol Police, and instead a picture of an American flag was located where the plate should have been.

Craighead told officers that he was “on patrol,” and started talking about white supremacy ideology and touting other rhetoric.

Capitol Police applauded its efforts in detaining Craighead.

“This is good police work plain and simple,” Chief Tom Manger said in a statement. “We applaud the officers’ keen observation and the teamwork that resulted in this arrest.”

“This is an excellent example of the work our officers do every day,” Operational Services Bureau Deputy Chief Jason Bell added. “We are so proud of these officers for their vigilance.”

Capitol Police said its investigations division is looking into the situation.

Authorities added that it was not clear if Craighead had plans to attend any upcoming demonstrations in the city or if he is connected to any previous cases in the area.

The incident comes days before a large number of individuals are expected to arrive in the District to attend the “Justice of J6” rally, which is being held by demonstrators to support people charged with crimes related to the Jan. 6 attack on the Capitol.

The gathering is scheduled for Saturday, Sept. 18.

The Capitol security fence that had surrounded the building following the Jan. 6 riots will likely be reinstalled ahead of the upcoming rally.

A spokesperson for the Metropolitan Police Department told The Hill last week that it will be prepared for the rally, which includes monitoring and assessing event planning and having an increased presence around the city. Additionally, authorities are prepared to close streets if needed.

House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) last week said lawmakers will be briefed in the coming days about Capitol security plans in preparation for the rally.

“We intend to have the integrity of the Capitol be intact,” she said.

Updated at 11:27 a.m.