Controversial Iced Earth guitarist Jon Schaffer has been photographed amongst members of the pro-Trump mob that stormed the Capitol earlier today.
The metal shredder is a controversial, outspoken political conservative, who has been spotted at pro-Trump rallies on multiple occassions. In an article published by German publication Die Welt back in November, Schaffer was photographed and interviewed attending a Donald Trump rally of 10,000 in Washington.
“They will go under. They mess with the wrong people, believe me,” he told the publication at the time.
Now, a photograph has emerged of what appears to be Schaffer in and amongst the chaos of today. Whilst there’s been no official confirmation that it’s him, the tattoo on his left arm and the earrings and hat he is wearing fit the profile.
@MetalHammer It’s our boy, Jon Schaffer from Iced Earth on a holiday to DC. pic.twitter.com/fJpgKmNrNq
— Alex (@RPG_Al3x) January 6, 2021
During a Facebook Live video last year, when asked whether Schaffer had any intention of forging a career in politics, the musician mused “I’m too much of a rabble-rouser. I’m not politics material. I’m not politically correct.”
Love Classic Rock?
Get the latest Classic Rock news, features, updates and giveaways straight to your inbox Learn more
He then went on to elaborate on his personal, garbled political ideology:
“People think they don’t have any power, but they have a tremendous amount of power — I mean, an unbelievable amount of power,” Schaffer added. “The system and the control grid wants to make you feel like you have no power and they enforce their rule through fear, intimidation and psychological warfare. It’s all garbage.”
He continued, “I’m not a left-or-right guy. I’m an American — that’s my country; that’s where I live. I don’t trust my government. I don’t give a shit if it’s an ‘R’ or a ‘D’ next to the name of the person. I try to understand the bigger picture. I’ve done a lot of reading and a lot of studying. I’m a man of my convictions, and I don’t say stuff that I don’t truly believe. And I have changed my position a few times through the years, because I’ve learned more — not because I was trying to be politically correct or trying to kowtow to somebody’s opinion.”
