Capitol Rioter Wearing 'Camp Auschwitz' Shirt Arrested in Virginia

A Capitol rioter who was wearing a shirt that read 'Camp Auschwitz,' during the siege in [...]

By Stephen Andrew

A Capitol rioter who was wearing a shirt that read "Camp Auschwitz," during the siege in Washington D.C., has been arrested in Virginia. He has been identified as 56-year-old Robert Keith Packer, of Newport News, and was booked into Western Tidewater Regional Jail by the U.S. Marshals Service around 9 AM, per a report from NBC News. Packer has been arrested "on federal charges related to their role in the events at the U.S. Capitol," according to a statement from FBI spokeswoman Christina Pullen.

NBC News reports that Packer was advised he's been charged with two federal offenses at this time. The first charge is for "entering or remaining in a restricted building." The second charge Packer faces is "violent entry or disorderly conduct while on capitol grounds." It is unclear if he may face other charges. Packer was not asked to enter a plea, and he was released without bail. The judge ordered Packer to stay out of Washington, unless he must travel there for his court case.

Hampton, Virginia resident Sydney Cohen spoke with NBC News, and told the outlet that Packer is the owner of a vacant lot near her house. She also stated that the defendant's mug shot listed in Western Tidewater Regional Jail records and the man photographed in the "Camp Auschwitz" sweatshirt are the same person. "I think seeing things on television is one thing, you can shake your head and be worried," 53-year-old Cohen said. "But it's a different feeling to have someone that you know personally to be involved (in the riots)."

Cohen went on to say that the thought of Packer potentially holding anti-Semitic beliefs makes her terrible uncomfortable. "He knows my name," said Cohen. "It's a malice I didn't know about and it's scary."

Auschwitz was the most infamous Nazi death camp during the Holocaust and World War II. According to historical data, more than 1 million Jewish men, women and children were murdered at the site in less than five years. Additionally, Packer's shirt read, "Work Brings Freedom," which is a loose English translation of the Nazi phrase "Arbeit macht fre." This quote was widely included at the entrances of many Nazi death camps, including Auschwitz.

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