Neo-Nazi Subject Of VICE's Charlottesville Documentary In Solitary After Being Arrested For Attacking Protesters

Christopher Cantwell, one of the primary subjects of VICE News' viral documentary on the Unite The Right rally in Charlottesville and a prominent Alt-Right media personality, sobbed in a personal YouTube video after he says a warrant was issued for his arrest. 

I called the Charlottesville Police Department… and I said, 'I have been told that there's a warrant out for my arrest.' They said that they wouldn't confirm it but that I could find this out if I wanted to go a local magistrate or something.

He goes on to tearfully admit to committing violence during the rally, but claims it was self-defense:

If I have to go to jail today, it won't be the first time…I don't want to, I don't think I should…I've been engaged in violence… and I've done nothing to hide that, but it was done in defense of myself and others.

The video first appeared on YouTube on Saturday, seemingly hours after footage was shot by VICE of him advocating violence against counter-protesters. 

Ironically, Cantwell ranted in the documentary about segregating white people from other races because he believes white people aren't prone to crime and violence. Cantwell was also interviewed on Sunday by VICE, and did not bring up any warrant for his arrest. 

The phone number that Cantwell lists in the video and on his website appears to be disconnected or unavailable at this time.

Update, August 16th , 4:59 pm: After this piece was published, Cantwell contacted us by phone in response to a media request. Cantwell now denies that there is an actual warrant out for his arrest, but instead says that he believes that the Charlottesville PD has a "list of people to round up," an assertion he makes based on conversations with an unnamed "higher up government official."

Cantwell says the video was originally posted in a Facebook livestream, but that his account has been disabled. According to Cantwell, his Paypal, Instagram and other internet accounts have also been shut down. 

When asked if he stood by his statements in the Vice Documentary, Cantwell said yes, but "I don't want violence, I want a more peaceful society." Cantwell went on to say that "I'm willing to use violence to stop" those who disrupt peace (minorities).

Cantwell maintained his belief in the theory that car attacker James Alex Fields Jr. acted in self-defense, but said that non-provoked attacks are not part of his ideology. He denied any association or personal knowledge of Fields Jr.

When asked about his reaction to President Trump's press conference yesterday, Cantwell said "he did a pretty good job," specifically mentioning his appeal to the idea that liberals would eventually want to destroy statues of George Washington and Thomas Jefferson. 

While Cantwell said he doesn't fully support Trump because he believes Trump "doesn't agree with us on the racial stuff," he said that Trump will "prevent us from falling to communism," and that "we have interests that overlap because we want to save the country." 

Update, August 31, 1:18 PM: In an interview with The Daily Beast from prison, Cantwell said he was in solitary confinement for his own safety, and was arrested for illegally using pepper spray to attack two counter-protesters.