Jason Kessler was a co-organizer of the deadly “Unite the Right” rally in Charlottesville. (Image courtesy of One People’s Project)
An arrest warrant was issued Monday, Oct. 16, for “Unite the Right” rally organizer Jason Kessler after he allegedly shared a protester’s home address on social media, then made a false report to police saying she was brandishing a gun.
The warrant, sworn out by victim Emily Gorcenski in front of a Charlottesville magistrate this week, was sought after Kessler obtained and dispersed her personal information “with the intent to coerce, intimidate or harass,” better known as “doxxing,” The Daily Beast reported. The misdemeanor offense is punishable by up to a year in prison and a $2,500 fine.
On Oct. 3, New Byzantium, a Twitter account linked to Kessler, tweeted Gorcenski’s name, address and a photo of her home. The news site noted that most of his past tweets about Gorcenski have since been deleted.
“@EmilyGorcenski Was looking for rentals in Charlottesville,” one of them read. “You seem to know a lot about ANTIFA – are you renting?”
Just five days later, someone had called the authorities to Gorcenski’s home, falsely claiming she had a firearm. This is what’s known as “swatting.”
“It was a call saying there was a disturbance of some sort with someone with a gun,” she told The Daily Beast. “I don’t know who called it in but it came just days after my address was tweeted. I’m not accusing Jason of making that call.”
Gorcenski had already taken out a warrant for Unite the Right rally participant Christopher Cantwell, who pepper sprayed her and another demonstrator during the violent protests earlier this year, according to the news site. Cantwell was ultimately arrested and charged with illegal use of gasses and causing injury by caustic agent or explosive.
As for Kessler, he’s already been convicted of assault and now faces a felony charge for lying to police, saying the victim hit him first. Security camera footage proved his claim to be false.
The alt-right activist has maintained his innocence in the matter involving Gorcenski.
“The Communist judiciary in Charlottesville is now charging me with crimes for tweets that OTHER PEOPLE made. Un-f—ing-believable,” he tweeted Tuesday. “I have been to the cops and courts probably a dozen times complaining about people posting my address and they don’t care. But someone alleges that an account I don’t run listed their PUBLICLY AVAILABLE address & I’m charged with a Class 1 misdemeanor. WTF.”
**UPDATE**
Kessler was reportedly arrested Tuesday, but released on an unsecured bond, The Roanoke Times reported.
