Social media customers have been sharing content material on-line that means those that stormed the U.S. Capitol on Jan. 6 had been Antifa, not Trump supporters. Many have been utilizing compilations of images as purported proof, however examination of those pictures reveals they don’t assist this declare. In the meantime, the FBI has mentioned there may be “no indication right now” that Antifa had performed a task within the mob that stormed the Capitol.
Whereas it’s unattainable for Reuters to confirm the id of every one who took half in Wednesday’s siege, this text covers among the key pictures introduced in social media posts as false proof of the rioters being “Antifa undercover”.
Examples of posts presenting varied completely different males as proof could be seen here , here , here , here , here , here and here .
A whole bunch of President Donald Trump’s supporters stormed the U.S. Capitol on Wednesday in a surprising bid to overturn his election defeat, battling police within the hallways and delaying the certification of Democratic President-elect Joe Biden’s victory for hours (here).
The chaos unfolded after Trump – who earlier than the election refused to decide to a peaceable switch of energy if he misplaced – addressed 1000’s of supporters close to the White Home and advised them to march on the Capitol to precise their anger on the voting course of. He advised his supporters to stress their elected officers to reject the outcomes, urging them “to battle.” (here)
MAN WITH FUR, HORNS AND PAINTED FACE
Reuters Truth Test beforehand debunked the claims {that a} man sporting fur and a hat with horns was a Black Lives Matter or ANTIFA supporter here .
Media shops together with AZ Central and Mashable rapidly recognized the person as Jake Angeli ( here , here ). In accordance with AZ Central, he has been a “fixture at Arizona right-wing political rallies over the previous 12 months.” In an interview with the information outlet in Might 2020 seen here , Angeli spoke in favor of President Donald Trump and his insurance policies.
In one other video seen here , Angeli could be seen praising Trump and “Q,” a reference to the nameless chief of QAnon, an intertwined collection of conspiracy theories whose followers imagine that President Trump is secretly preventing a cabal of child-sex predators that features distinguished Democrats, Hollywood elites and “deep state” allies.
Angeli’s personal Fb web page examined by Reuters included posts and pictures indicating his assist for QAnon and Donald Trump.
He has since been charged with knowingly coming into or remaining in any restricted constructing or grounds with out lawful authority, and with violent entry and disorderly conduct on Capitol grounds (here). The Justice Division recognized him as Jacob Anthony Chansley (often known as Jake Angeli).
MAN WITH HAND TATTOO
Reuters Truth Test has beforehand debunked the declare of a person’s tattoo being proof that he is part of ANTIFA here .
Posts place a picture of protesters contained in the Capitol constructing alongside one other picture sourced to “phillyantifa.org”.
The Philly Antifa web site (phillyantifa.org) does have a web page that includes a picture of a bearded man who shares sure traits with the particular person seen within the Capitol constructing. Nevertheless, this web page doesn’t describe the person as an Antifa supporter. As an alternative, it says the picture reveals a person belonging to a wholly completely different group that Philly Antifa opposes.
Reuters has not recognized the particular person pictured within the Capitol Constructing. Nevertheless, a comparability of tattoos on the best fingers of each individuals would point out that they don’t seem to be the identical particular person (examine this picture from the Antifa web site here with this AFP picture here ).
The tattoo seen alternatively of the person within the Capitol seems to be a logo from a pc sport (here) and never a hammer and sickle image as some posts have steered (here).
MAN ON PELOSI’S DESK
One other picture utilized in social media posts reveals a person together with his ft on Nancy Pelosi’s desk. Because the picture from Getty started circulating extensively on January 6 ( here , here , here ), New York Occasions reporter Matthew Rosenberg recognized him in a tweet as 60-year-old Richard “Bigo” Barnett of Gravette, Arkansas (here). He additionally included a video of Barnett (here).
Lower than half an hour later, Northwest Arkansas NBC affiliate KNWA-TV reported (here) that its group “instantly acknowledged the person” from an interview they carried out with Barnett at a “Cease the Steal” rally hosted by the Benton County Republicans in November.
NBC Information reported that Barnett was arrested on Friday, January 8 (here). There isn’t any proof that he has any reference to Antifa.
FUR PELTS AND POLICE SHIELD
One other man shared in Fb posts is sporting fur pelts and carrying a police defend, identifies himself as Aaron, a resident of Brooklyn, New York. In a YouTube video filmed contained in the Capitol, ( here ) the person says he got here to “categorical (his) perception that the election was stolen.”
Some shops have recognized him as Aaron Mostofsky, son of a Brooklyn Supreme Courtroom choose ( here , here , here ).
There isn’t any proof linking this man to Antifa, and his private Fb web page, which now seems to have been eliminated, confirmed he had reposted content material from Donald Trump, Jr. and Senator Ted Cruz, in addition to conservative commentators Laura Ingraham and Ben Shapiro.
When requested whether or not Aaron may very well be a part of Antifa undercover, a supply near the Mostofsky household advised Reuters by way of electronic mail: “It’s not true. What he was recorded saying displays his politics.”
‘NO INDICATION’ OF ANTIFA INVOLVEMENT
There isn’t any credible proof to assist the notion that Antifa backers dressed up as Trump supporters or that they led or spear-headed the rioting.
“We have now no indication of that right now,” mentioned Steven D’Antuono, the FBI Washington Discipline Workplace’s assistant director in cost, in response to a query over whether or not there was any proof to assist allegations that perpetrators of the violence on the U.S. Capitol had been “antifa infiltrators” who had disguised themselves as Trump supporters.
Inspecting essentially the most upvoted chat rooms in an internet weblog discussion board common amongst Trump supporters on the afternoon of January 8, Reuters discovered a mix of narratives being introduced amongst this group. Some mentioned “Patriots”, not Antifa, stormed the buildings whereas others blamed alleged Antifa infiltrators.
Reuters has debunked different Antifa-related misinformation since Wednesday, together with that Antifa didn’t obtain police escort from D.C. Police to the demonstrations (here), an Antifa confession prank (here) and digitally altered information reviews (here).
VERDICT
False. The photographs examined on this verify purport to point out Antifa supporters current on the Jan. 6 storming of the united statesCapitol. Nevertheless, there isn’t a proof the people within the footage are linked to the Antifa motion. The FBI has mentioned there isn’t a indication Antifa had performed a task within the mob that stormed the Capitol.
This text was produced by the Reuters Truth Test group. Learn extra about our fact-checking work here .
