‘Maladjusted’ L.I. death-metal rocker busted in Capitol riot

A suburban death-metal rocker who shouted “Let’s go!” as fellow rioters stormed the U.S. Capitol was arrested Tuesday for his cheerleading participation in the assault on the Washington landmark, authorities said.

Eric Gerwatowski, 31, of New Hyde Park, L.I., did little to cover his tracks, pausing for an oncamera interview outside the Capitol on Jan. 6, 2021 — and was later identified in calls to an FBI tip line by two people who knew and recognized the suspect, according to an agency criminal complaint.

“The Commies are trying to steal the country!” the long-haired suspect said in his interview after exiting the building 13 months ago.

Federal officials said the civilian group @SeditionHunters, whose members are collecting and sharing information about suspects in the insurrection, began posting photos of Gerwatowski at the Capitol with the hashtag #LordLongHair before his Nassau County arrest.

Gerwatowski (photo) was leading a crowd toward the doors outside the Senate entrance just closed by Capitol Police on Jan. 6 as supporters of President Donald Trump stormed the building, authorities said.

The suspect, who watched as the officers shut the entrance, yanked the door back open and shouted at the rioters to head inside, the complaint alleges.

According to court papers, one of the Capitol Police officers made a “tactical decision” to allow Gerwatowski and the others to enter the building after coming from an area inside where rioter Ashli Babbitt was fatally shot.

“The officer told the FBI that he was exhausted, outnumbered and had already been attacked and sprayed with several chemicals by rioters earlier in the day,” the 10-page complaint added.

The suspect, a bassist and lead singer in a number of suburban metal bands, was accused of felony civil disorder and related charges. Among his song catalog were the titles “I’m Not Who I Used to Be” and “Maladjusted.”

Federal officials said more than 725 suspects have been arrested since the Jan. 6 attack, including more than 225 people charged with assaulting or impeding law enforcement after a rally where Trump inaccurately declared his election defeat by President Biden just two months earlier was rigged.