Adam Kokesh acknowledged he knew of D.C.’s gun laws when he made the video. Gun activist hasn't heard from cops

A defiant libertarian activist said Monday he was aware of the strict Washington gun laws when he filmed a video of himself - now the subject of a police investigation - loading a shotgun in the middle of Freedom Plaza near the White House on July 4.

In an interview with POLITICO, Adam Kokesh acknowledged he knew of D.C.’s gun laws when he made the video, saying, “It was not an accident. I did not accidentally stumble into Freedom Plaza.”


“It was my little act of civil disobedience as part of the national day of rallies we had,” Kokesh said, adding that he and others demonstrators were rallying across the country on Independence Day to say Americans would be better off without the federal government.

The Washington Metropolitan Police and the U.S. Park Police have said in a statement that they were aware of the video “that appears to have been taken in Freedom Plaza in Northwest, D.C.” and “are in the process of determining the authenticity of the video.”

Kokesh, who hosts a radio show, said he has yet to be contacted by either Washington or U.S. Park Police about the video.

In the video, Kokesh loads a shotgun four times as he stands in the plaza with the Capitol building clearly shown behind him. “We will not be silent, we will not obey, we will not allow our government to destroy our humanity,” Kokesh says as he loads the gun. “We are, the final, American, revolution. See you next Independence Day.

Kokesh had originally planned a large rally on July 4 of armed activists marching into Washington, but the protest was ultimately cancelled. Kokesh said he is planning another march for next year, but without the guns.

“What we’re look to do for next year is do the same thing, just a march, a rally, but without the firearms because it was clear that was turning more people than bringing people on board,” Kokesh told POLITICO.