The U.S. Department of Justice has charged a man from Staten Island, N.Y., for threatening to kill protesters, politicians and others because of the outcome of the U.S. presidential election.
Brian Maiorana, 54, was arrested on Tuesday.
According to the federal complaint, since September, he has used social media to threaten violence and encourage others to follow suit. In one post, he wrote, “The carnage needs to come in the form of extermination of anyone that claims to be democrat … as well as their family members.”
On Nov. 8, he posted, “As the Jew Senator from Jew York said nothing is off the table. The Turner Diaries must come to life. We blow up the FBI building for real. All the alphabet agencies assassination will become the new normal now … that the electoral process is finished.”
The Turner Diaries were written in 1978 by the leader of the neo-Nazi National Alliance, and is filled with racist and anti-Semitic writings and a call to violent attacks on the government. It is, according to the Anti-Defamation League, “probably the most widely read book among far-right extremists; many have cited it as the inspiration behind their terrorist organizing and activity.”
“The Department of Justice will not stand idly by when people like the defendant allegedly threaten to kill elected officials, lawful protesters and law enforcement simply because of animus towards the outcome of an election. Americans have a constitutional right to voice their opinions, but this office will not tolerate violence or threats of violence used to intimidate others with whom they disagree,” stated Acting U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of New York Seth DuCharme.
“Mr. Maiorana’s online posts called for violence against our entire community—protestors, politicians and law-enforcement officers alike. His alleged threats are disturbing and far outside of acceptable norms, but they also violated federal law. A word of advice to those who haven’t yet figured this out—the FBI will carry out our mission to protect the public’s safety and our constitutional right to disagree with one another, but we will not tolerate threats and acts of violence. Any others who wish to follow the example set by Mr. Maiorana will be held accountable in the same way,” stated FBI assistant director-in-charge William F. Sweeney Jr.
Following the arrest, the New York/New Jersey branch of the Anti-Defamation League said it was “deeply grateful” to the New York FBI and NYPD Counter-Terrorism Bureau/Joint Terrorism Task Force for “quickly acting to keep all New York and New Yorkers safe, regardless of faith.”