The "QAnon Shaman," one of the alleged rioters at the US Capitol who wore a horned hat and fur, has apparently refused food for more than a week in jail because it is not organic.
Jake Angeli, who attends numerous protests in his strange outfits, earning him the "QAnon Shaman" moniker, has been in a Washington DC jail since the Capitol insurrection.
Mr Angeli's attorney filed an emergency motion requesting his client either be released or be given food conducive with his dietary needs.
According to a court filing, Mr Angeli practises "shamanism" which apparently requires him to eat only organic food.
"Based on Mr Jacob Chansley's shamanic belief system and way of life, non-organic food, which contains unnatural chemicals, would act as an 'object intrusion' onto his body and cause serious illness if he were to eat it," Mr Angeli's attorney, Albert Watkins, wrote.
Mr Angeli's given name is Jacob Chansley.
“Because of my being a Shamanic practitioner, I only eat traditional food that has been made by God. This means no GMO’s, herbicides, pesticides, or artificial preservatives or artificial colors,” Mr Chansley wrote in the motion.
“I have not eaten anything since Monday morning @ approx. 8:15 a.m. Being w/o food is stressful due to the way it affects my serotonin levels. As a spiritual man, I don’t mind fasting for a few days, but 5 days is the longest I have ever gone w/o food/fasted for. I am humbly requesting a few organic canned vegetables, canned tuna (wild caught), or organic canned soups. If I have to go a week w/o food or longer then so be it. I will stay committed to my spiritual/religious beliefs even if it means I suffer physically. I will continue to pray through the pain and do my best not to complain. I simply ask that you understand that the physical effects of not eating organic are harmful to my body & bio-chemistry.”
He then claimed he becomes sick when he deviates from his diet.
“I have strayed from my spiritual diet only a few times over the last 8 years with detrimental physical effects,” he wrote.
“As a spiritual man I am wiling to suffer for my beliefs, hold to my convictions, and the bare weight of their consequences. I simply ask that an exception plz be made for my special circumstances. the last facility I was @ in Arizona made such an exception for the short duration of my visit there. I kindly & humbly ask that a brief exception be made in this location as well. Please Chaplin [sic] as a man of God I ask that you please try to understand my convictions and plead my case to the necessary parties. Thank you.”
According to Mr Watkins, his pleas to the Washington DC jail where Mr Angeli is being held to provide him with organic food have been denied.
Mr Angeli's lawyers have attempted to deflect blame for the "QAnon Shaman's" actions at the Capitol on Donald Trump, and claimed their client acted peacefully during the insurrection.
Mr Angeli pleaded not guilty on Friday to charges of obstructing an official proceeding, violent entry, and disorderly conduct while on Capitol grounds.
"In turn, the Governments appears, in the case of Defendant herein and other peaceful citizens in like position, to be in the unseemly position of having to prosecute folks for taking heed of the call of the former President, believing the former President's words, and doing that which the former President asked to have done," Mr Watkins argued in the court filing.
Mr Watkins said his client would be willing to testify against Mr Trump, calming Mr Angeli felt "duped" by the former president.
