Following a tweet from Trump inviting the Washington protest, many of his supporters announced plans to travel, some to support their leader, but others with the intent of causing unrest, court documents said.
On December 19, Beverly Hills beauty salon owner Gina Bisignano, read a tweet from then President Donald Trump: “Big protest in Washington DC on January 6. Go, it gets wild! ”.
“We will be there,” replied Bisignano, one of tens of millions of people who read Washington’s appeal to protest the alleged electoral fraud against Trump.
Meanwhile, Ethan Nordean in Washington State and Enrique Tarrio in Florida were online making plans for the big day as leaders of the far-right group Proud Boys.
According to a court file, on December 27, Nordean asked his followers on the networks for funds to purchase protective equipment and communication equipment.
A week later, he and Tarrio told their followers on a podcast to wear black and that they should be willing to fight.
“We’re almost seen as soldiers on the right,” Tarrio said. “This is serious. We are at war.”
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In the ranks of the Proud Boys and Oath Keepers extremists, between the QAnon conspirators and ardent fans of the Republican President, the message was clear weeks earlier: Trump wants them to go to Washington to prevent Congress from winning the election. from Joe Biden on January 6.
Radical Trump fans clash with police and security forces as they erect barricades to storm the United States Capitol in Washington. Photo / AFP
While Trump is on trial in the United States Senate for instigating insurgency over the events of that day, growing evidence in court documents shows that the attack on Capitol Hill was premeditated.
“At the boiling point”
Following Trump’s tweet, many fans announced plans to travel to Washington, some just for a final rally in support of their leader.
But others spoke of stopping the certification itself and inflicting pain on “traitors” in Congress.
And they decided to come prepared. Many wore combat helmets, stun weapons, body armor, communications equipment, and bear and pepper spray. A handful of them had firearms.
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The night before, someone planted home-made explosives in two different locations near the Capitol. The bombs never went off and it is possible that their goal was to drive the police out of the Capitol when the attack began.
The alleged leaders of the attack, the ones who appear to be the most organized according to court documents, were the Proud Boys and the Oath Keepers.
Supporters of the President of the United States, Donald Trump, forced their way into the Capitol. Photo / AFP
In late December, Thomas Caldwell in Berryville, Virginia, about 100 miles west of Washington, reportedly staged an episode of serious violence.
Caldwell, described as a “commander” of the Oath Keepers, a violent far-right group made up mostly of ex-military and police forces, planned to meet outside of Washington with members of armed militias from across the region.
Let’s see if they can certify something on Capitol Hill with a million or more patriots on the street. This kettle is about to boil, ”he said on Facebook.
“They have turned into pure evil, even blatantly faking an election and paying off the political caste. We must now punish them and take them down, ”he added.
Attack on the Capitol
In Bridgeville, Pennsylvania, a QAnon and Proud Boys supporter, Kenneth Grayson, 51, was also preparing.
On December 23, court documents show, he texted family and friends: “I’ll be there when Trump tells us to storm the goddamn Capitol … these elections won’t be stolen.”
In Georgia, lawyer William Calhoun was angry about the alleged electoral fraud orchestrated by Biden. After the election, he had already been reported to the FBI for calling for an armed attack on Washington.
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On December 29, he reported, “Being physically present in Washington on January 6 is vital. We, the people, have no other realistic option to convey our firm intention to demand fair elections now and always. “
A week later, he announced that he was on his way to Washington “to let them know that this is their last chance to stop the theft or they will have bigger problems.”
“The robbery has stopped”
On the morning of January 6, Ronnie Sandlin of Memphis Tennessee and Nathan Degrave of Las Vegas, Nevada, made a video about their plans.
“I think it’s time to take over the Capitol, and I’m not saying that lightly,” Sandlin said.
“If we have to occupy the Capitol, we will occupy the Capitol at one o’clock (…), then everything will happen.”
After the attack, the participants boasted their triumph because they had accomplished what they intended to do.
“Today the American people have shown that we have the power,” posted Calhoun.
Supporters of the President of the United States, Donald Trump, protest in the Capitol Rotunda. Photo / AFP
“We occupied the Capitol and we stopped the government, we stopped their shenanigans from stealing elections.”
Proud Boys member Nicholas Ochs from Hawaii and Nicholas DeCarlo from Texas streamed live video of the scene.
“We came here to stop the robbery,” said Ochs.
“That’s why I came here. Fuck, we did it, ”DeCarlo said.
It can be resumed, but the theft has stopped for now. You’re welcome, America! Oh, added.
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