Iced Earth's Jon Schaffer found among Pro-Trump Rioters at Capitol Hills Siege?

Iced Earth guitarist and principal songwriter Jon Schaffer appeared to have been among the protestors who stormed the US Capitol on January 6, 2021, in the support of President Donald Trump. Schaffer who is an avowed conservative and COVID-19 skeptic has been featured prominently in a picture. However, confirmation about his presence during the riot is yet to surface, even though Schaffer’s leanings, facial hair, tattoos make it likely that it was him present at the Capitol.

Iced Earth's Jon Schaffer among the pro-Trump mob at Capitol Hills seige

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On January 7, 2021, a user took to its Twitter handle and posted a picture where the Pro-Trump rioters can be seen at the Capitol. In the picture, Schaffer can also be seen wearing a blue hoodie with a baseball cap. While sharing the picture, the user wrote, “Is that Jon Schaffer of Iced Earth?”.

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Schaffer and a group of violent mob stormed the US Capitol on Wednesday and forced the elected lawmakers into hiding, in an attempt to overturn America’s presidential election and keep Democrat Joe Biden from replacing Trump in the White House. The lawmakers were to count the Electoral College votes certifying Biden’s win in the US elections. One woman was shot and killed during the riots.

According to Blabbermouth, on November 15, 2020, the guitarist identified himself to the German daily Die Welt, which posted a picture of him in a crowd present at the Washington, DC. The crowds were seen demonstrating their support for Trump. Die Welt quoted Schaffer saying ‘They will go down. They’re messing with the wrong people, believe me’. When asked by the outlet if the guitarist expected riots during the elections, Schaffer said that if someone is using violence against them, they will react accordingly and that they don’t want it but they’re ready.

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The outlet also reported that in the month of September 2020, Schaffer in a Facebook Live chat was seen expressing his thoughts and opinions about the US elections. He said that he invests time and energy to get people to do research about everything. He asked his fans not to believe the judgements based on mainstream media and that they should use their ‘own power of discernment’. Schaffer while hinting towards Congress, said people lie all the time and that they’re incompetent traitors. He continued that Congress deceives all of them.

Image Source: A still from Iced Earth Webisode 1, YouTube

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