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UNR grad who participated in white supremacist rally in Charlottesville arrested, released in Reno

Booking information for Peter Cytanovic on the Washoe County Sheriff's Office’s website. Screenshot taken on July 28, 2023.

The UNR graduate who went viral for his participation in the deadly white supremacist rally in Charlottesville, Virginia in 2017 was arrested on July 26 in Reno.

Peter Cytanovic is being held in the Washoe County Sheriff's Office Detention Facility on a felony fugitive warrant from Charlottesville. A fugitive warrant is for criminal charges issued in another state, according to the sheriff’s office.

He is being held without bail in Washoe County as he awaits an extradition hearing. A date for the hearing has not been set. After that, he will be transported to Virginia to face charges there. It’s unclear what charges he faces.

Earlier this year, the AP reported that a grand jury in Virginia indicted several people on felony charges for carrying flaming torches with the intent to intimidate. According to the Albemarle County Commonwealth Attorney’s Office, the indictments are related to the 2017 white supremacist rally on the University of Virginia campus. A woman was killed and dozens injured when a neo-Nazi drove his car into counter-protesters.

An infamous photo of Cytanovic holding a tiki torch circulated widely. Cytanovic went on to graduate from UNR and was later kicked out of the Nevada National Guard after his extremist ties came up in a background search.

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Lucia Starbuck is an award-winning political journalist and the host of KUNR’s monthly show Purple Politics Nevada. She is passionate about reporting during election season, attending community events, and talking to people about the issues that matter most to them.