California man arrested near US Capitol with functional guillotine in truck
Philan-Tam-Duy Le, 35, was arrested Tuesday after parking near the Capitol with a 10-foot guillotine. He pleaded not guilty to carrying a dangerous weapon.
California man drives guillotine to Capitol, arrested and charged
A 35-year-old California man was arrested near the US Capitol on Tuesday after officers found a 10-foot-tall wooden guillotine with a metal blade in the bed of his pickup truck, Google News MT — Crime (en) reports, citing CNN.
Philan-Tam-Duy Le, of Julian, California, was charged with carrying a dangerous weapon by US Capitol Police. He appeared in court on Wednesday and pleaded not guilty, according to online court records.
Officers spotted Le's truck parked illegally on East Capitol Street — a road running alongside the Supreme Court and steps from the Capitol building — shortly after 3 p.m. When asked whether the device was fully functioning, Le told officers it was "the real deal," according to a court affidavit.
Le stated he "wasn't there for any specific reason" and "didn't have issues with specific members of Congress," the affidavit said. Congress was in recess at the time of his arrest.
Drove from California with declared intent
Capitol Police said Le drove from California to Washington, DC. Investigators are reviewing his background to establish his motivation for the journey.
An Instagram account that appears to belong to Le showed a video posted on August 12 in which a man displays the guillotine and states he built it himself. In the video, which includes references to conspiracy theories, he criticises "unelected officials making all the decisions of this place and getting us involved in international conflicts and forever wars."
"I built a guillotine. I'm gonna drive this f**ker to Washington, DC," the man says in the clip. He adds that the guillotine is "strictly for self-defense purposes … I harbor no ill will or intentions of violence towards anyone."
A further Instagram story posted early Tuesday afternoon showed the same man seated in front of the guillotine outside the FBI building, captioned "Guillotine adventures" and "Capital hill next."
Brother calls it a symbol of disapproval
Le's brother, Kelvin Le, told the Los Angeles Times that the guillotine was a "symbol of disapproval." He said Le was unhappy with both Democrats and Republicans, and disliked both President Donald Trump and California Governor Gavin Newsom.
"I don't think he'd hurt anyone," Kelvin Le said, adding that he was surprised to learn of the arrest.
Legal questions over First Amendment protections
Whether Le's actions are protected under the First Amendment "depends on specific factual circumstances," said CNN senior legal analyst Elie Honig.
"Generally speaking, a person has broad rights under the First Amendment, including speech that is aggressive, distasteful or controversial," Honig said. "The decisive question is going to be was the object operational or a symbol. Could a person actually have been harmed? How did he display it? And what did he say about it?"
The arrest comes amid broader concerns over rising threats directed at members of Congress. In 2025, Capitol Police responded to nearly 15,000 "concerning statements, behaviors, and communications directed against Members of Congress, their families, staff, and the Capitol Complex," a figure representing a more than 57% increase from 2024, according to a January press release from the force.
Last month, police also arrested a man at the north barricade of the Capitol who was found carrying a handgun, which is prohibited on the grounds.
A status hearing in Le's case is scheduled for September 24. CNN has reached out to an attorney listed for Le for comment.
Source: Google News MT — Crime (en)