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‘Political prisoner’ Robert Rundo freed from custody then rearrested in latest criminal injustice
Santa Ana, California—In three short days, Active Club founder and political prisoner Robert Rundo was freed from jail and then rearrested pending an appeal by Federal prosecutors.
The move has been called a “targeted campaign” against Rundo, whose original criminal charges had already been dismissed twice in the last five years. He has languished in Federal custody since March of 2023.
On Wednesday, news of Rundo’s release from jail came amid a judge’s decision to drop all charges against Rundo. According to court documents, the ruling declared that there had been “selective prosecution” in the case, which stemmed from violence during a series of Antifa-led ambushes in places like Charlottesville, Virginia, and Berkeley and Huntington Beach, California, in 2017.
While Rundo was released from jail for a very short time, an appeal by federal prosecutors to the 9th Circuit saw Rundo rearrested. As of Thursday evening, he was believed to be once again back in Federal custody.
Rundo, the pro-White activist with founding ties to numerous advocacy organizations—including the Rise Above Movement (RAM), Active Clubs (AC), and Will2Rise (W2R)—had sought refuge in Eastern Europe in the face of what could only be described as a political witch hunt.
Facing a trumped-up charge of “conspiracy to commit violence,” Rundo would eventually be captured in Romania and extradited to the United States in 2023. He has sat in a California jail cell ever since.
In newly released court documents, U.S. District Court Judge Cormac J. Carney granted a motion to dismiss the charges, pointing to substantial evidence that so-called “antifascists” and other “left-wing” extremists were just as violent—if not more—than Prosecutors alleged Rundo had been during these same rallies.
“Prosecuting only members of the far right and ignoring members of the far left leads to the troubling conclusion that the government believes it is permissible to physically assault and injure Trump supporters to silence speech,” read Carney’s decision. “It was groups like Antifa that went to pro-Trump rallies with the intent to use violence to disrupt protected
political speech.”
“When announcing this case, the United States Attorney for the Central District of California at the time explained this case was initiated because of ‘an orchestrated effort to squelch free speech as members of the conspiracy traveled to multiple locations to attack those who hold different views,’” he continued. “The problem in this case, though, is that sentiment equally describes Antifa and other extremist, far-left groups.”
According to LA Times reporter Brittny Mejia, Federal prosecutors had appealed Judge Carney’s decision, which demanded that Rundo be held in custody “because (he) presents a grave risk of flight, as well as a danger to the community.”
Carney, however, denied the original request, adding, “I don’t believe it’s warranted that Mr. Rundo spend one minute more in custody, so I’m going to release him forthwith.”
“I feel very comfortable in the decision I’ve made,” he said.
By Thursday, AntifaWatch had announced that federal prosecutors had appealed Judge Carney’s decision in what appeared to be an attempt to rearrest Rundo pending their appeal of the “selective enforcement” ruling. Later, the same outlet would report that the “extremely liberal” 9th Circuit Court of Appeals had granted the request, staying Rundo’s release order and forcing him to go back to jail.
In a statement to their official Telegram, the American Freedom Party called the move another “instance of tyranny” aimed at political dissidents in the United States.
“The federal government’s strategy here seems to involve transferring the case to another court until they achieve their desired outcome.” read the statement. “It is pertinent to remember that the only reason Mr. Rundo was arrested again in 2023 was because the government “overturned the dismissal” of the initial charges.”
“Such actions as these underscore governmental overreach and serve as yet another instance of tyranny within our occupied government,” it continued.
While Rundo’s initial release had been short-lived, news of his freedom was met with a veritable chorus of support—and hate—that had seeped into online spaces from both sides of the political spectrum. On social media, members of the anti-White extremist movement, commonly referred to as “Antifa,” were upset that a member of their political opposition was being spared state oppression.
“I don’t believe it’s warranted that Mr. Rundo spend one minute more in custody, so I’m going to release him forthwith….I feel very comfortable in the decision I’ve made.”
U.S. District Court Judge, Cormac J. Carney
The TORCH Antifa-linked Atlanta Antifascists—whose violent NorCal chapters were present in some of the very same places where Rundo and his crew were ambushed in 2017—said, “We don’t rely on the cops or courts to do our work for us…We must rely on ourselves to protect ourselves and stop the fascists,” in a veiled threat made to their official Mastodon page.
Many would even go on to parrot baseless Antifascist conspiracy theories, downplaying the existence of “Antifa” as a singular group while masking its true status as a movement. Others would attack the judge, likening Carmac to a “fascist” whose decision was somehow evidence of “corruption,” “White supremacy,” and “racism” in American government.
On the right, however, Rundo was being hailed as a hero who, despite the odds, went face to face with an “anti-White” system and emerged victorious. Widespread support of Rundo’s plight could be evidenced on social media accounts belonging to dozens of affinity groups that compose the greater nationalist scene, which, for months, had fundraised and clamored for his eventual release.
Lifelong pro-White advocate and self-professed “one-man think tank,” Nathan Damigo, professed initially that he was “gobsmacked” at the Federal government’s decision. In an exclusive request for comment by the Justice Report, Damigo said that justice under the “anti-White regime” was rare, and was excited to hear of Rundo’s release from custody.
“I am absolutely gobsmacked at this decision, and I couldn’t be more excited for Robert Rundo in this case,” said Damigo. “It is so rare that someone in our movement, in our cause, receives justice under this anti-White regime. The judge’s decision was absolutely correct.”
"Things like selective prosecution have existed in this country my entire life, but it ramped up around the time of 2016 and 2017," he elaborated. "During the inauguration of Donald Trump, scores of anti-White terrorist groups posted on Facebook that they were going to disrupt the inauguration and try to stop it. All of them went to D.C., and they all rioted in Black Bloc."
"They arrested hundreds of these rioters, and they had them dead to rights conspiring to do so on video. Almost every single charge was dropped, with the exception of a guy who hit a cop, and guess what he got? Four months. That's it," he continued. "(The feds) are clearly disinterested in prosecuting the many flagrant violent crimes committed by anti-white terrorists, or anyone on the Democratic side of this regime."
Nathan Damigo is an influential pro-White advocate who can be found on Telegram, Substack, Odysee, and elsewhere.
Prominent White civil rights activist and long-time supporter of Rundo's political advocacy, Mike Peinovich, highlighted the fact that this would be the second time federal prosecutors attempted to jail Rundo over Antifa-inspired street clashes in 2017. The reason? Because Rundo is White.
"It is so rare that someone in our movement, in our cause, receives justice under this anti-White regime. The judge's decision was absolutely correct."
Pro-White advocate, Nathan Damigo
"This is a rare piece of justice in an America that is characterized by political persecution of White people and White advocates," said Peinovich in a request for comment by the Justice Report. "This is the second time that Rob has been through this exact process."
"It should be obvious by now that this case was never about the facts or the law, but the persecution of one man by the state for his political and racial views," he continued.
Upon learning that Rundo would have to be rearrested due to the sudden updates in the case, Peinovich called it a "targeted campaign" against him.
"Apparently, the persecution of Rob Rundo continues," he said on his official Telegram. "Again, this is a targeted campaign against one individual, based purely on his race, who has beaten the charges against him multiple times now."
"The fact that black criminals with 30, 40, even 50 arrests under their belt, often for extremely violent offenses, are roaming the street right now, actively facilitated by the state, while Rob who defended himself in a fistfight 7 years ago is being pursued to the ends of the earth and dragged through multiple court proceedings, put through double and even triple jeopardy, tells you all you need to know about who is really being racially persecuted in America," he continued.
Mike Peinovich is a White civil rights activist and podcaster whose commentary can be found nearly every day of the week on the TRS Network.
Also adding to the conversation was author, journalist, and VDare contributor Jason Kessler, a monolith in pro-White organizing who praised Carney for his dismissing of the criminal case and "acknowledging the truth" about left-wing violence, which permeated throughout 2017.
"Thank God judges are starting to acknowledge the truth about the protest environment in 2017 now that some time has passed for emotions to cool off," said Kessler in a request for comment by the Justice Report. "From DC to Berkeley, to Charlottesville, it was Antifa and BLM instigating violence all year long and men like Rundo refusing to back down in defense of their rights."
"It should be obvious by now that this case was never about the facts or the law, but the persecution of one man by the state for his political and racial views."
White civil rights activist, Mike Peinovich
"Now a federal judge has confirmed what we all knew: that the feds were prosecuting him for his constitutionally protected political beliefs," he continued.
Jason Kessler is an author and journalist whose work can be found on VDare, Counter-Currents, and Telegram. He is currently writing a book chronicling the events of 2017's Unite the Right titled "Charlottesville and the Death of Free Speech."
Right-wing podcaster, blogger, and political commentator Chris Cantwell, however, expressed several doubts about the future of the case, especially if the Federal appeal is upheld. Still, he praised the decision as a "rare bright spot" in America's increasingly delegitimized criminal justice system and used his own experience as a political prisoner to opine about the situation.
"This is a rare bright spot in our justice system, though a tenuous one," he said in a request for comment by the Justice Report. "Carney knows that Rundo fled the jurisdiction before...I have my doubts this has a happy ending, sadly."
"From DC to Berkeley, to Charlottesville, it was Antifa and BLM instigating violence all year long and men like Rundo refusing to back down in defense of their rights."
Author and right-wing journalist, Jason Kessler
"The 9th Circuit will now be forced to rule on the question of selective prosecution. It is unlikely, in my view, that they will concede Carney's point. This would then be on its way to the Supreme Court, assuming any of the Defendants are still in the country when that decision is overturned..." he continued.
"If the 9th Circuit does uphold the dismissal, or the Supreme Court does intervene, this would be a binding precedent, and that would be exceedingly good news," he said.
Once it became known that Rundo would have to go back to jail despite his short release, Cantwell outlined his interpretation of the law.
"What the government did was successfully stay the order of Rundo's release," said Cantwell via his official Telegram. "That means the charges are still, at this point, not pending, but the 9th Circuit said that the appeal of the Judge's dismissal has enough meat on it to warrant keeping Rundo in custody until they have decided on that appeal."
"Rundo is now a wanted man if not in custody already," he continued.
Christopher Cantwell is a prolific right-wing political broadcaster found on SurrealPolitiks. Mr. Cantwell's full comment to the Justice Report was published on his website and can be viewed HERE.
Rob Rundo's victory at the federal level and short release from custody should be seen as a significant triumph for nationalists organizing in the Western world. His rearrest highlights an alarming trend of once-trusted institutions continually trampling on free expression, often done so in the name of eradicating opposition to state-authorized political narratives that remain necessary for the status quo.
In Albany, New York, a pro-White, anti-Zionist street activist was arrested and stripped of his firearms for a series of stickers found on public property. For merely expressing his political opinion—which opposed uncontrolled immigration and Israeli warmongering—the State government justified a gun grab by interpreting his political views as in violation of an obscure "mental hygiene" code. The laws would later be deemed unconstitutional in the courts, but not before he had already been subjected to a raid of his family home and villainization by local journalists.
"This is a rare bright spot in our justice system, though a tenuous one...If the 9th Circuit does uphold the dismissal, or the Supreme Court does intervene, this would be a binding precedent, and that would be exceedingly good news."
Right-wing commentator and former political prisoner, Christopher Cantwell
Government prosecution based on one's political beliefs transcends borders, however. In the United Kingdom, prominent pro-White activist Sam Melia made headlines when a Leeds court found him guilty of "stirring up racial hatred" over a series of political stickers. The stickers, whose content was confirmed in court as "truthful and legal," merely raised awareness of demographic replacement and other related discussions. As a result, some fear he may now serve years in prison and potentially miss the birth of his next child.
The case of Robert Rundo should also demonstrate the importance of grassroots political advocacy, right-wing mutual aid, and closing ranks behind a common ally, which can be effective strategies in the ongoing and uphill battle for White civil rights.
The case of Robert Rundo, the Federal prosecutors' appeal, and the status of his release are ongoing, and this article will be updated as new details emerge.
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