Iced Earth guitarist Jon Schaffer was one of those photographed during the riots in the Capitol building on January 6 and his bandmates have released statements about his involvement expressing that they do not tolerate riots or acts of violence.
Both Luke Appleton and Stu Block posted a group statement on their Instagram accounts (shown below) that reads as follows:
We want to thank those of you who have sent words of support in recent days. Some of you have been concerned about our silence, which we understand. We needed some time to properly process the information and know some facts before making a statement.
We absolutely do NOT consent to or support the riots or acts of violence in which the riots took place on January 6 in the US Capitol building. We hope that all those involved that day will be brought to justice to be investigated and held accountable for their actions.
With a broken heart, we are sending our love and compassion to everyone who has felt pain for the events of January 6th. We are deeply saddened and our heart goes out to the families of the lives lost that day. There really are no suitable words to comfort. You just have to know that we are with you in your shock, pain and sorrow. Much love to all of you.
Stu, Luke, Jake, Brent
Earlier this week, Block was pressured to comment on Schaffer’s involvement and initially proposed, “I live in Canada and I don’t really engage in political things or share my beliefs. [sic]. I have chosen to spread love and not comment or allow any hatred [social media]. I hope so [sic] understand, “he added.
In addition, Blind Guardian, a band that has Hansi Kürsch among its ranks, also offered a statement. Kürsch is Schaffer’s bandmate in the band Demons & Wizards. Posted on the Blind Guardian website, the statement says:
We are deeply shocked and our thoughts are with the relatives of the deceased. We expressly distance ourselves from any type of violence, regardless of whether it is applied against institutions or individuals. Incidents will be thoroughly investigated and those responsible will be brought to justice. We ask that you understand that, given the time situation of the news, we will not make any current comments.
Shortly after Schaffer’s photo appeared among the images of the riot in the Capitol building, it was revealed that the musician was a “person interested in riot-related crimes” in a photo shared by the MPDC (Metropolitan Police Department of the Districts of Columbia).
A day later, Schaffer’s name appeared in the “Most Wanted” section of the FBI’s website. Schaffer’s image is in the “Seeking Information” subcategory, not to be confused with the FBI’s famous Top 10 Most Wanted List.