Gian Rachtelli, a right-wing livestreamer known online as "Manny," was arrested at President Donald Trump's Great American State Fair in Washington, D.C., last Thursday on charges of lewd, indecent, or obscene acts. Witnesses reported seeing him masturbating to an acrobatics performance while dressed in an Uncle Sam costume.
Witness Accounts Detail Incident
Arrest documents reviewed by HuffPost include three witness statements. One observer told police that Rachtelli was recording female circus performers before he "stuck his right hand down his pants and moved back-and-forth approximately six times ... in what appeared to be self pleasure or masturbation." Another witness reported that a performer from the Cirque Mechanics troupe pointed out an "older white male" making lewd gestures. A third witness stated they saw the accused "with his hand in his pants likely doing what we all thought he was doing."
Livestream Cut Short by Police
Rachtelli's last YouTube livestream, recorded at the fair on the day of his arrest, abruptly ends when a police officer approaches and escorts him to other law enforcement officers. He later addressed the arrest on X, reposting a defender who claimed, "Manny's only crime is being a huge Patriot" and that he is "innocent until PROVEN guilty."
Fair Plagued by Problems
The incident adds to a series of embarrassments for the Great American State Fair, organized to celebrate America's 250th anniversary. Several musical acts pulled out late last month, and the 16-day festival opened to a sparse crowd on Wednesday. In a pre-sunrise Truth Social post on Monday, Trump defended the event, asking, "Do you think people appreciate what a fantastic job we did in building and operating the Great American State Fair at the National Mall, packed with happy people, and everybody loving it?" He added, "Ask yourself this simple question, 'DO YOU THINK THAT OBUMA OR SLEEPY JOE BIDEN COULD HAVE DONE IT?' THE ANSWER IS NO!"
