A Capitol rioter in pretrial detention is threatening to go on a hunger strike if his dietary requirements are not met.
According to a court filing first reported by NBC News, Christopher Quaglin, 36, an inmate at the Northern Neck Regional Jail (NNRJ) in Virginia threatened to go on a hunger strike after he found a noodle on his tray.
Quaglin claims he has celiac disease and gluten intolerance but is refusing care while behind bars. Because of this, officials at NNRJ are taking extra steps to “avoid cross contamination” of his food.
“Mr. Quaglin’s food trays are prepared separately, using separate utensils, on the assembly line for special diet trays,” jail superintendent Ted Hull said in the filing. “I have instructed kitchen supervisors to take pictures of each of Mr. Quaglin’s trays to ensure that all items comply with the TSG gluten free menus and are 100% gluten free.”
However, Hull noted that several of Quaglin’s commissary request items, including honey bun, candy, chili, Spanish rice and mustard, are not gluten free.
An officer said in the filing that he saw Quaglin eating commissary items after he stated he was going on the hunger strike.
Quaglin, a self-proclaimed member of the Proud Boys, was arrested last April and charged with attacking multiple Capitol Hill police officers as well as attempting to corruptly obstruct, influence, and impede a Congressional proceeding. He is believed to be among the crowd of Trump supporters that attacked Metropolitan Police Officer Daniel Hodges, who was seen on video trapped between the rioters and a set of doors at the Capitol.
Earlier this year, he sued the Department of Justice over “mistreatment” while in jail, according to Law & Crime. Quaglin accused the Justice Department of “malicious indifference” toward his medical condition and said he was “forced to drink brown and/or black looking water.”
His lawyers said at the time that he lost 40 pounds since his arrest. “This is not negligence, nor is it a mistake, it is purposeful and deliberate torture,” they said.
