HAGERSTOWN, Md. — An Arizona man was arrested by Maryland State Police on Thursday evening at the gates of the People’s Convoy trucker camp for allegedly carrying a concealed pistol.
The arrest came after state police said they were called to deal with a complaint of a vehicle blocking the road into the trucker convoy’s encampment at the Hagerstown Speedway.
Brandon Glen Jackson, 28, of Scottsdale, Arizona, was arrested at about 9 p.m., according to Maryland State Police.
Social media video blogs show troopers taking Jackson into custody after a brief and peaceful discussion.
Once Jackson is in custody, a trooper pulls a loaded 9 mm pistol from a carrying sleeve tucked into Jackson’s jeans, the video shows.
Jackson is being held without bail in Washington County jail on two misdemeanor handgun charges. He will get his first hearing on Monday, March 28.
According to Maryland criminal code, it’s illegal to carry a concealed handgun in Maryland without a permit. The state does not recognize permits from other states.
Social media video blogs show Jackson arguing at the gates of the People’s Convoy before the arrest. He can be heard on the videos saying he is a libertarian who has been involved with the convoy for four weeks.
Brian Brase said he is the current leader of the People's Convoy on the site.
“There are some folks that get involved that maybe don't have the best intentions in what the movement is or is not about," Brase explained. "As we identify them, we ask them to politely leave. And that was the situation. They were asked to leave. They did leave and they came back a few days later, trying to come back in.”
Restrictive gun laws are among the many grievances expressed by convoy participants but Brase said all local laws must be followed at the encampment.
“This is a law-abiding peaceful protest and it's going to remain that way," Brase said.
Brase claims social media posts showing disagreements among convoy participants are not a sign that the movement is weakening.
"No, it's not falling apart. What we have going on are people that have been here for a long time when we got new people coming in," Brase said. "There's actually a big convoy coming in on Monday. They're expected quite a large number to join in with us."
Vehicle convoys, including trucks, continue to depart daily from Hagerstown to drive around the Capital Beltway to protest grievances ranging from vaccine mandates to false claims about the last election.
"It's only it's only going to continue and it's going to get bigger and it's moving nationwide with all the state capitals," Brase said.
Organizers say they have an agreement to continue camping at the Hagerstown Speedway for at least another week.