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Major Jason Watson was arrested during a protest in Washington and was subsequently placed in military custody, while an investigation under the Code of Military Justice has been launched against him...
An active-duty United States Air Force officer has been placed in military custody after being arrested on the steps of the Capitol on Wednesday, where, dressed in uniform, he called for the impeachment, condemnation and removal from office of President Donald Trump and Vice President J.D. Vance.
According to The New York Times, Maj. Jason Watson was arrested by Capitol Police during a protest following a press conference organized by the activist group Removal Coalition. The event was also attended by Texas Democratic Congressman Al Green, who has repeatedly called for Trump's impeachment.
During his speech, Watson declared that he was not a member of the Democratic Party and accused the president and vice president of violating the Constitution and their oaths of office. He called on American citizens to peacefully exercise their rights guaranteed by the First Amendment of the Constitution.
After the briefing, Watson stood on the steps of the Capitol holding a sign with the words “Impeach,” “Convict,” and “Remove.” He was later arrested on suspicion of disorderly conduct.
Capitol Police said demonstrations on the steps of the House of Representatives are only permitted when they are held in the presence or with the authorization of a member of Congress. According to authorities, after the congressman left the scene, officers ordered Watson to stop the protest, but he did not do so.
Removal Coalition founder Jessica Denson said the Washington Attorney General's Office decided not to press criminal charges against Watson for the protest, but he was immediately taken into custody by the Air Force. She said he is being held on a military base and is prohibited from speaking publicly during the investigation.
Watson's attorney, Christopher J. Mutimer, said his client has not been charged criminally but is being investigated for possible violations of the Uniform Code of Military Justice (UCMJ). He confirmed that Watson is being held at Joint Base Anacostia-Bolling in Washington and is not allowed to leave.
The US Department of Defense referred questions about the case to the Air Force, which did not comment.
Air Force Secretary Troy E. Meink stated on social media that he is aware of the incident and stressed that he expects every member of the Air Force and Space Force to respect the laws and regulations related to personal conduct, participation in political activities, and use of the uniform.
Under Article 88 of the Uniform Code of Military Justice, officers are prohibited from using derogatory language toward the president, vice president, Congress, or other high-ranking officials. Department of Defense regulations also prohibit participation in political activities while in military uniform.
Jessica Denson said Watson had contacted her organization in February with the intention of delivering a public message that she believed would have a big impact. She added that the group kept his involvement a secret until the day of the event to ensure he could publicly express his position before it was canceled.
After Watson's arrest, Congressman Al Green released a video in which he said he had been to the Capitol to see a US Army major who, according to him, acted in defense of justice.
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