Mr McInnes, a notorious misogynist, racist and homophobic activist who pioneered a now-familiar style of violent right-wing organizing combined with internet troll-like intellectual posturing, was hosting his Get Off My Lawn show on Thursday when strangers apparently entered his studio . . He got up from his chair without turning off his microphone and started talking to someone off camera. “We’re shooting a show, can we do it another time?” he said, exchanging small talk with someone out of range of his microphone. “Okay, I’m happy to do that, I’ll get a lawyer and we’ll sit down and talk, schedule a meeting and sit down with my lawyer.” After telling whoever he was addressing that “I didn’t let you in,” the conversation went off the mic. A redacted version of the audio circulating on Twitter does not make clear what was said next. The full details of who entered the studio and what happened there are not yet known. So far there has been no official announcement by law enforcement of Mr. McInnes’ arrest, nor any word from Mr. McInnes himself. The NYPD and New York FBI confirmed that they had not arrested Mr. McInnes on Friday morning. However, several of his followers and associates speculated furiously about what happened – some of them apparently convinced the FBI to be involved. Mr McInnes said in an episode earlier this week that he had spotted an unmarked police car near his home and was interacting with officers inside it. “Today, I go out… and there’s an unmarked police car parked in front of my house. So I go to it and say “How are we doing?” And they look very uncomfortable.” Comedian Josh Denny, whose show is carried by Mr McInnes’ site, claimed he had confirmed with “our people” that the events on the live stream were “not a bit”. “The show goes on,” he wrote. “We are not canceling ANYTHING. Working with the @censoredottv team and @RelocationBoss to get him out. “We’ll be there. #FreeGavin” Mr McInnes’ normally active Telegram channel had been silent before the incident, but his last post before the show appeared to hint at legal concerns. “I just had a DNA test and it turned out I’m 100% white – even when I’m crying mad. Yes, I’m in trouble with the law, that’s the man in me.” Mr McInnes, who along with the Proud Boys also co-founded Vice Media, “split” from the “western chauvinist” paramilitary gang in 2018, but was seen wearing its signature black and gold regalia as recently as January. when he hosted an episode of Get Off My Lawn on the anniversary of the January 6 attack on the US Capitol. Several senior members of the Proud Boys face charges in connection with the attack and are expected to stand trial later this year. Mr McInnes is not among them. According to Mr Denny, “Gavin was AGAINST moving on January 6. He was AGAINST Charlottesville (and told the Proud Boys he was out of the club if they went) but he’s rotting in jail for daring to challenge authority.”
