Editing Christopher Cantwell

{{Important}}{{Villain Infobox|Image = Christopher Cantwell.jpg
|fullname = Christopher Charles Cantwell|alias = The Crying Nazi|origin = Brookhaven, New York, United States|occupation = Author, activist, pundit, podcaster, informant, shock jock, member of the [[Alt-Right]]|hobby = Broadcasting on Radical Agenda|goals = Prevent Jewish people from taking over the world <br>Get retribution against [[Antifa]]|crimes = [[Hate Speech|Hate speech]]<br>Driving while under the influence<br>Illegal possession of a weapon<br>Possession of stolen property<br>Making death threats<br>Assault and battery<br>Public intoxication<br>[[Anti-Semitism]]<br>[[Xenophobia]]<br>Cyberstalking<br>Extortion<br>[[Homophobia]]<br>[[Transphobia]]<br>[[Misogyny]]<br>[[Propaganda]]<br>[[Arms trafficking]]<br>Attempted murder|type of villain = Cowardly Neo-Nazi}}
{{Quote|Jews will not [[Great Replacement|replace]] us!|Cantwell at the Unite the Right rally.}}
'''Christopher Charles Cantwell''' is an American Neo-Nazi associated with the [[Alt-Right]]. He is best known for his appearance at the [[Unite the Right rally]] held by [[Jason Kessler]] in 2017, and the subsequent manhunt. He has also garnered criticism from other Alt-Right members for being a government informant, although he claims he only did this to get back at the notorious left-wing militant group [[Antifa]].<ref>[https://www.splcenter.org/hatewatch/2018/03/29/crying-nazi-charlottesville-admits-he-working-feds The 'Crying Nazi' from Charlottesville admits he is working with the feds], Southern Poverty Law Center</ref>

== Background ==
Cantwell was born on November 21, 1980, and grew up in New York. His father was an air traffic controller and his mother a homemaker.

== Views ==
Cantwell is considered a major figure within the Alt-Right, and has described himself as both a [[fascist]] and a libertarian.<ref>[http://www.news12.com/story/36153205/fascist-leader-in-vice-news-piece-is-from-suffolk-county Fascist leader in Vice News piece is from Suffolk County], ''News 12''</ref> Both the Southern Poverty Law Center and the Anti-Defamation League consider Cantwell to be a white nationalist.<ref name=SPLC>[https://www.splcenter.org/fighting-hate/extremist-files/individual/christopher-cantwell Christopher Cantwell], Southern Poverty Law Center</ref><ref>[https://www.adl.org/education/resources/backgrounders/from-alt-right-to-alt-lite-naming-the-hate From Alt-Right to Alt-Lite: Naming the Hate], Anti-Defamation League</ref>

Cantwell is also known for his militantly anti-police views, admitting that he believes it would be morally justified for a driver being pulled over by a police officer to gun down the officer and supporting [[Ismaaiyl Abdullah Brinsley]], who murdered two police officers in New York City in 2014.<ref name=SPLC/>

Though Cantwell was initially a supporter of [[Donald Trump]], he later rescinded his support for Trump, claiming that Trump "wasn't racist enough" and not liking the fact that his daughter, Ivanka, was married to Jared Kushner, a Jew.<ref>[http://www.businessinsider.com/why-people-are-furious-with-trump-charlottesville-white-supremacist-vice-video-2017-8 The chilling worldview of a white supremacist who helped lead the Charlottesville rally shows why so many people are furious with Trump], ''Business Insider''</ref>

Cantwell writes essays on his personal blog about topics including white supremacy, alt-right politics, libertarianism, and the men's rights movement. He has written for and republished essays about the men's rights movement to ''[[Paul Elam|A Voice for Men]]'', a men's rights and antifeminist website.<ref>[http://www.salon.com/2017/08/18/weeping-nazi-started-off-as-a-mens-rights-activist-which-is-no-huge-surprise/ Weeping Nazi started off as a 'men's rights activist', which is no huge surprise], ''Salon''</ref> In 2013 and 2014, he wrote and republished his anti-police essays as a volunteer for Cop Block, a police accountability organization.<ref name=SPLC/>

Cantwell co-hosted the anarcho-capitalist radio show ''Free Talk Live'' but was suspended in 2015 after tweeting a racial slur against an African American person who criticized him. He later was removed from the position permanently.<ref name=SPLC/> Meanwhile, in December 2013, Cantwell began what he called ''Some Garbage Podcast'', disseminated through YouTube and elsewhere, and in April 2015 renamed it ''Radical Agenda'', subtitled "a show about common sense extremism".<ref name=SPLC/>

== Unite the Right Rally and aftermath ==
During the Unite the Right rally in Charlottesville, Virginia in August 2017, Cantwell was filmed shouting "Jews will not replace us!" with a crowd of other [[White Supremacy|white supremacists]].<ref>[https://splinternews.com/crying-nazi-banned-from-virginia-for-5-years-1827776742 'Crying Nazi' Banned From Virginia for 5 Years After Guilty Plea], ''Splinter News''</ref> He ranted about how the Alt-Right are not nonviolent, and threatened to kill several protestors.<ref>[http://www.newsweek.com/white-supremacist-ready-violence-cries-charlottesville-arrest-warrant-651682 White Supremacist Who Boasted About Being 'Ready for Violence' Cries Over Possible Charlottesville Arrest Warrant], ''Newsweek''</ref> He also allegedly pepper-sprayed several counter-protestors. Following the rally, a warrant was put out for Cantwell's arrest due to his actions during the rally. On his podcast ''Radical Agenda'', Cantwell published a video of him talking about the warrant during which he struggled to hold back tears, resulting in widespread mockery of Cantwell and earning him the nickname "The Crying Nazi".<ref>[http://www.newsweek.com/christopher-cantwell-charlottesville-crying-nazi-wants-sympathy-jail-657675 Christopher Cantwell, the Charlottesville 'Crying Nazi,' Wants Your Sympathy From Jail], ''Newsweek''</ref>

Cantwell turned himself in on 24 August, and was indicted on counts of unlawful bodily injury, assault and battery, malicious injury with a caustic substance and public intoxication. He pleaded guilty to public intoxication and received a fine of $116. The charges of unlawful bodily and malicious injury with a caustic substance were later dropped on the grounds that so many people at the rally had pepper spray it was impossible to tell if Cantwell was responsible.<ref>[https://www.splcenter.org/hatewatch/2017/11/13/after-hearing-christopher-cantwell-faces-one-remaining-felony-charge After hearing, Christopher Cantwell faces one remaining felony charge], Southern Poverty Law Center</ref> He later pleaded guilty to assault and battery and served seven months in jail.<ref>[https://web.archive.org/web/20190323144718/https://www.washingtonpost.com/local/public-safety/crying-nazi-barred-from-virginia-after-pleading-guilty-to-assault-during-charlottesville-rally/2018/07/20/164480a4-8c5f-11e8-81bf-28c7cd96bbc2_story.html ‘Crying Nazi’ pleads guilty to assault committed during Charlottesville rally], ''The Washington Post''</ref> He was also banned from entering the State of Virginia for five years.<ref>[https://www.richmond.com/news/virginia/white-nationalist-christopher-cantwell-banned-from-virginia-for-five-years/article_b7eccde9-6f3d-532d-97ec-69ce34fce05e.html White nationalist Christopher Cantwell banned from Virginia for five years after pleading guilty to assault at UVA torch march], ''Richmond Times''</ref>

In October 2017, Cantwell, Jason Kessler, [[Richard Spencer]] and a number of other individuals and groups involved in the rally were sued by nine Charlottesville residents for violating the civil rights of the people of Charlottesville by inciting the violence that occurred at the rally. On November 23, 2021, a jury found all defendants liable on a charge of civil conspiracy and found Cantwell, Kessler, Spencer, [[Elliott Kline]] and [[Robert Ray|Robert "Azzmador" Ray]] liable for race-based harassment or violence. Cantwell was ordered to pay a total of $700, 000 in damages.<ref>[https://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/americas/crime/unite-the-right-lawsuit-charlottesville-b1963126.html Jury awards $25m to victims in 2017 'Unite the Right' assault], ''The Independent''</ref> The jury was unable to reach a verdict on charges of federal conspiracy to incite violence.<ref>[https://www.wsj.com/articles/charlottesville-trial-verdict-jury-finds-prominent-white-supremacist-leaders-liable-11637698395 Charlottesville Trial Verdict: Jury Finds Prominent White Supremacist Leaders Liable], ''The Wall Street Journal''</ref>

==Criminal convictions==
In 2000, Cantwell, then aged 19, pleaded guilty to driving while intoxicated, possession of stolen property and illegal possession of a weapon.<ref name=SPLC/>

In July 2018, Cantwell was convicted on two counts of misdemeanor assault and battery for pepper spraying two people at the Unite the Right rally.<ref>[https://www.huffpost.com/entry/crying-neo-nazi-christopher-cantwell-guilty-of-assault-in-charlottesville-rally_n_5b53698de4b0de86f48d930e Crying Neo-Nazi Chris Cantwell Pleads Guilty To Assault At Charlottesville Rally], ''The Huffington Post''</ref>

On September 28, 2020, Cantwell was found guilty on one felony count of transmitting extortionate communications and one felony count of threatening to injure property or reputation. The charges stemmed from Telegram messages Cantwell sent to a member of a rival neo-Nazi group, in which he threatened to rape the man's wife in front of his children if he did not give Cantwell information about the identity of another member of the group. Originally scheduled to be sentenced on January 4, 2021, the presiding judge issued a continuance and the sentencing was delayed. On February 24 Cantwell was sentenced to 41 months in prison, followed by two years of supervised release.<ref>[https://www.nbcnews.com/news/us-news/crying-nazi-christopher-cantwell-found-guilty-extortion-rape-threat-case-n1241263 'Crying Nazi' Christopher Cantwell found guilty of extortion in rape threat case], ''NBC News''</ref><ref>[https://www.forbes.com/sites/joewalsh/2021/02/24/crying-nazi-christopher-cantwell-sentenced-to-41-months-for-extortion/ 'Crying Nazi' Christopher Cantwell Sentenced To 41 Months For Extortion], ''Forbes''</ref>

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