U.S. Capitol Police arrested a California man Tuesday after discovering a fully functional 10-foot wooden guillotine on the bed of his pickup truck, parked illegally near the Capitol, the Supreme Court, and the Library of Congress.
The suspect, identified as 35-year-old Philan-Tam-Duy Le, was taken into custody after officers noticed the truck parked in a Library of Congress permit-only spot on East Capitol Street SE. According to an arrest affidavit filed in the Superior Court of the District of Columbia, the truck had a wooden platform with a large guillotine, including a metal blade.
When asked if the guillotine was fully working, Le reportedly replied, “Yeah, it’s the real deal man.”
Motive remains unclear
The affidavit notes that Le told police he built the 20-foot instrument himself, but said he had no specific reason for bringing it to Washington. He reportedly stated he had no issues with any member of Congress. Authorities say his motive remains unclear.
Le, a tattoo artist from Julian, California, a small town outside San Diego, reportedly worked as a guest artist at the Berserker Tattoo Studio. The studio’s owner reportedly let him go for alleged drug use. Le also reportedly lived in Carlsbad, California.
On Tuesday, a District of Columbia judge declined prosecutors’ request to hold Le in jail pending trial, citing his lack of criminal history and cooperation with police. Judge Hildum noted that Le did not threaten anyone and was cooperative during the arrest.
“He didn’t even threaten anyone,” Hildum said during the hearing.
Family and media reaction
Le’s father told NBC 7 that his son was “stupid” and that he was not violent, but unhappy with politics. The family has dismissed the incident as eccentric behavior.
Some reports have described Le as a Trump supporter, while others say he opposed all politicians. The media has downplayed his political interests, with many accounts painting him as a politically naive individual.
The incident has drawn attention to the growing use of guillotine imagery in left-wing protest circles, particularly on platforms like Bluesky, where thousands of posts feature guillotines aimed at conservatives and the wealthy. Real guillotines have also appeared at protests in Providence, Rhode Island, and other cities.
Capitol Police say they are continuing to investigate the incident, including how Le financed his cross-country trip and whether he had any accomplices.
Source: www.americanthinker.com — https://www.americanthinker.com/blog/2026/08/capitol-police-arrest-man-with-fully-working-guillotine-outside-capitol-and-supreme-court-and-say-motive-unclear/