Who is ‘QAnon Shaman’ Jacob Chansley?

CHAOS ensued when a group of protestors stormed the US Capitol to contest the 2020 Presidential Election results.

Self-proclaimed “QAnon Shaman” Jacob Chansley was one of several rioters who were arrested in relation to the incident.

Who is ‘QAnon Shaman’ Jacob Chansley?

Referring to himself as the “QAnon Shaman,” Jacob Chansley is one of the conspiracy theorists associated with the US Capitol Protests.

Hailing from Phoenix, Arizona, he is also a part-time actor and Donald Trump supporter.

From September 2005 to October 2007, Chansley served in the US Navy.

Under the pen names Loan Wolf and Jacob Angeli, he self-published two books.

Before the January 6 protests, he held QAnon rallies in his native city.

What did Jake Angeli do in Capitol Hill? 

On January 6, 2021, Chansley was recognized as one of the protestors who stormed the US Capitol Hill.

During the siege, he made his way into the Senate chamber where he was seen standing behind the dais where just moments earlier Mike Pence and Nancy Pelosi had been.

While participating in the protests, he donned a costume that consisted of a bison-horned headdress, war-painted face, and a six-foot spear with the American flag tied to it.

Due to his attire, he became one of the more recognizable protestors.

On January 9 of the same month, Chansley was arrested and charged with:

• Civil Disorder
• Obstruction of an Official Proceeding
• Entering and Remaining in a Restricted Building
• Disorderly and Disruptive Conduct in a Restricted Building
• Violent Entry and Disorderly Conduct in a Capitol Building
• Parading, Demonstrating, or Picketing in a Capitol Building

On November 17, 2021; he pleaded guilty and was sentenced to 41 months in prison.

Regarding the attack, Chansley told 60 Minutes: “My actions were not an attack on this country.

“That is incorrect. That is inaccurate entirely. My actions on January 6, how would I describe them? Well, I sang a song.

“And that’s part of shamanism. It’s about creating positive vibrations in a sacred chamber.

“I also stopped people from stealing and vandalizing that sacred space, the Senate. Okay?

He added: “I consider myself a lover of my country. I consider myself a believer in the Constitution.

“I consider myself a believer in truth and our founding principles. I consider myself a believer in God.

“Because it was my intention to bring divinity and to bring God back into the Senate.

“I developed a lot of sympathy for Donald Trump because it seemed like the media was picking on him.

“It seemed like the establishment was going after him unnecessarily or unfairly and I have been a victim of that all of my life, whether it be at school or at home.

“So in many ways, I identified with a lot of the negative things he was going through and I honestly believed and still believe that he cares about the constitution, and he cares about the American people.”

When was the QAnon Shaman released?

On March 30, 2023, Chansley was released early after serving 27 months incarcerated.

On November 13 of the same year, he announced his candidacy as a Libertarian in the 2024 election for a seat in Arizona’s 8th Congressional District.