A person arrested on gun possession expenses close to a Donald Trump rally in California on Saturday, spurring vital security considerations, mentioned that he was a serious supporter of the previous US president and would by no means hurt him.

“Sure, I’m 100% a Trump supporter,” the person, Vem Miller, instructed Fox Information Digital in an interview. Miller, 49, denied the native sheriff’s allegation that he was bringing weapons to Trump’s occasion to kill him.

“It is a man that I deeply admire,” the Las Vegas resident additionally mentioned. He claimed to be a registered Republican and “all-in” with the Republican presidential candidate since 2018.

Miller was not capable of get anyplace close to Trump. Regulation enforcement businesses –together with the Riverside, California, sheriff’s workplace, Secret Service and the Los Angeles US lawyer – mentioned that Trump was not in any hazard.

Whereas authorities mentioned that Trump had been protected, the incident got here within the wake of two assassination makes an attempt, fanning the flames of concern over his security. Throughout a presser on Sunday, the Riverside county sheriff Chad Bianco claimed: “I actually do consider we prevented one other assassination try,” stoking considerations nonetheless extra.

Miller was taken into custody at a checkpoint at roughly a half-mile from an entrance to Trump’s Coachella Valley marketing campaign cease, shortly earlier than it was scheduled to start out. Authorities claimed that Miller was in possession of a loaded shotgun and handgun, in addition to a high-capacity journal.

Miller was arrested earlier than Trump arrived on the web site, in keeping with KTLA. He was launched from jail on $5,000 bail shortly after his arrest, in keeping with police data.

Bianco mentioned that Miller caught the eye of legislation enforcement after he managed to entry the preliminary perimeter close to Trump’s marketing campaign cease. Bianco cited visible “irregularities”, noting that Miller’s SUV was not registered and had an “clearly” faux license plate.

A sheriff’s deputy “finally discovered a number of passports with a number of names and a number of driver’s licenses with totally different names”, Fox 5 Information quoted Bianco as saying.

Bianco claimed that Miller, who two years in the past ran for Nevada’s state meeting, was a “sovereign citizen”. The sovereign residents don’t suppose they have to abide any authorities legal guidelines with out consent, and this motion is taken into account extremist and proper wing.

Miller instructed Fox Information Digital that he had firearms as a consequence of demise threats over his web site America Occurs Community. “I don’t know something about weapons. I’m past a novice,” he mentioned. The web site claims it intends to battle censorship and “rage towards the mainstream media”.

“I all the time journey round with my firearms at the back of my truck,” Miller mentioned, nonetheless insisting: “I’ve actually by no means even shot a gun in my life.”

Miller additionally slammed Bianco’s declare that he was among the many “sovereign citizen” motion, saying: “I don’t suppose there’s such a factor.”

“Authorities is an inanimate object, it’s the people inside authorities that matter, so no, I’m not part of any of that,” he reportedly mentioned.

“These accusations are full bullshit,” Miller instructed the Press-Enterprise. “I’m an artist, I’m the final individual that may trigger any violence and hurt to anyone.”

Miller additionally launched his personal video, “due to the false info that’s presently being launched by the police division”, and mentioned that his web site was targeted on defending freedom of press and speech.

“Whereas we’re presently, and we now have been, for carefully eight years staunch supporters of President Donald Trump, we don’t align ourselves with any political get together aside from one which helps our freedoms … and removes the tyranny of corrupt politicians,” he mentioned.

“President Donald Trump has been close to and pricey to our hearts as a result of he’s one of many solely people that I’ve seen have the braveness to truly stand as much as the tyranny towards we the folks,” Miller continued, referring to the preamble to the US structure.