Albemarle-Charlottesville Regional Jail inmate and white nationalist Christopher Cantwell is continuing to reach his followers from behind bars through an internet radio show that he hosts from inside the jail.
The University Police Department issued a warrant for Cantwell’s arrest in the aftermath of the violent demonstrations in Charlottesville on Aug. 11 and 12, during which he gained national news attention for his appearance in a VICE News Tonight documentary about the rally. In the VICE piece, Cantwell is seen advocating for an “ethno-state” and predicting further violence.
In August, Cantwell was charged with three felonies in connection with the violent torchlit march on Grounds that took place Aug. 11. He was specifically charged with two counts of illegal use of tear gas and malicious bodily injury by means of any caustic substance or agent or use of any explosive or fire.
Cantwell has been at the Albemarle-Charlottesville Regional Jail since he turned himself in to police after posting a tearful video about his arrest warrant on YouTube. In the video, Cantwell stated that he and the other white nationalists were “trying to make this peaceful, we are trying to be law-abiding.”
In response to the video, Cantwell was mockingly dubbed “the crying Nazi” on social media.
Since turning himself in, Cantwell has been denied bond and has hosted his own “Radical Agenda” internet radio show from jail — without violating the rules of the prison. He calls the program “Live from Seg!”
Regional Jail Superintendent Martin Kumer said in an interview with The Cavalier Daily that prison staff are aware of Cantwell’s recordings, but are unable to stop them because they are protected by free speech.
“All of our inmates have access to a phone in their cell block,” Kumer said. “He simply calls someone — who it is, I don’t know — and that person records his voice over the phone. He does it with the help of someone on the other end, who then broadcasts it over the internet at a later date.”
The latest installment of Cantwell’s podcast, titled “Who’s Jewing Who?”, was published online Sunday. Cantwell began the program by encouraging listeners to donate to his cause to “help get me out of this box, pay the lawyers, make sure that I don’t go bankrupt in the process.”
Kumer stated the Albemarle Charlottesville Regional Jail was not encouraging Cantwell to make these recordings or assisting him in any way.
“We provide no extraordinary resources or logistics of any kind whatsoever,” Kumer said. “We strongly do not condone this, but as long as he’s not breaking any laws, as long as he’s not inciting any riots within the facilities, as long as he’s not breaking the rules and regulations of the jail, it all boils down to free speech, and there’s not a whole lot we can do about it.”
In a podcast published Oct. 29, Cantwell said that he hoped to be released after a Nov. 9 preliminary hearing at the Albemarle District Court.
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