Capitol riots: What we have learned six months on
- Published
The probe into perpetrators of the 6 January attack has become one of the largest investigations in US history
It's been six months since supporters of then-President Donald Trump stormed the US Capitol. The FBI is still searching for those involved, even as some Americans seek to cast 6 January in a different light.
To date, the FBI has arrested more than 535 individuals for a variety of criminal activity on the day of the riot, but some of the most violent offenders have yet to be found, the agency said, including those caught on camera.
Last week, the agency released 11 new videos of suspects allegedly involved in clashes with law enforcement, as one of the largest criminal investigations in US history continues.
The FBI's plea comes as a growing number of conservatives - including Mr Trump - remember the day as a mostly peaceful gathering rather than a violent siege.
What do the new videos show?
The recently released footage show the 11 suspects, external - all men - engaged in violent confrontations with law enforcement.
In one, a man wearing a hat and swimming goggles repeatedly throws his body against police, who are holding protective shields. In another, a man in a blue Trump hat charges a police officer. He tries to wrestle the officer's baton out of his hands and shouts "this is our house".
In a statement accompanying the videos, the FBI asked the public for any information related to the suspects.
"The tips matter," said Steven M D'Antuono, of the FBI's Washington field office. "The public has provided tremendous assistance to this investigation, and we are asking for additional help to identify other individuals."
What about the other arrests?
The FBI has arrested roughly 535 individuals to date, including more than 100 for assaulting law enforcement officers, according to the agency and the US justice department.
The suspects are a varied group: they include an Olympic gold medallist, ousted West Virginia lawmaker, several police officers and a left-wing activist from Utah.
And they come from all over the country - 43 states and the District of Columbia - according to a database from George Washington University, external.
Capitol riots: ‘We would have been murdered’
Social media has been crucial to the investigation. Around 85% of federal suspects have been found using evidence from their personal social media accounts, others' accounts, or both, according to the George Washington data.
So far, just one person has been sentenced. Anna Morgan-Lloyd, a 49-year-old woman from Indiana, received three years of probation and no jail time after pleading guilty in June to a misdemeanour disorderly conduct charge. Ms Morgan-Lloyd, who was inside the Capitol for around 10 minutes and did not engage in violence, apologised for taking part.
Federal cases are ongoing across the country and could lead to some significant prison sentences for those involved. Dozens of suspects have requested public defenders - lawyers provided by the government - leaving taxpayers to pay millions of dollars in defendants' legal bills.
Trump peddles a different story
Six months after the 6 January violence at the US Capitol, a counter-narrative about the day's events is emerging among Donald Trump and his supporters.
The mob that clashed with police and ransacked the building was largely peaceful, they assert. Any violent incidents were instigated by liberal provocateurs or congressional Democrats who did not adequately prepare for the crowds. Ashli Babbitt, the woman who was shot by Capitol security trying to break into the House of Representatives chamber, was an innocent martyr.
In a Fox News interview on Sunday, the former president praised the crowd who came to Washington DC that day as "peaceful" and "great", adding that the event had "love in the air". He also described Babbitt as an "innocent, wonderful, incredible woman" who was wrongfully killed.
Despite more than 500 arrests - and ample video and documentary evidence that contradicts these assertions - Trump has been able to offer this contrary view with little pushback from his own party.
For a time, it appeared that 6 January would diminish Trump's influence within the Republican Party. Instead, it has become just the latest example of how the former president is still the centre of gravity in conservative politics.
What do we know about the defendants?
Authorities have linked roughly 77 of the alleged participants to right-wing and extremist groups, including the Proud Boys, Oath Keepers, Three Percenters, Texas Freedom Force and adherents of the conspiracy theory QAnon.
Last week, one member of the Oath Keepers, 54-year-old Mark Grods of Alabama, pleaded guilty to several offences, including conspiracy and obstruction of an official proceeding. Mr Grods agreed to co-operate with prosecutors in the ongoing investigation.
Robert Morss is also among those recently arrested. Mr Morss is accused of leading "one of the most intense and prolonged clashes" with law enforcement, court documents say. The 27-year-old was detained at home in Pennsylvania, where investigators found a fully constructed Lego set of the US Capitol, according to documents obtained by the Smoking Gun.
In May, authorities arrested the oldest defendant of those whose ages have been disclosed. Gary Wickersham, 80, was detained on a charge of violent entry and disorderly conduct on Capitol grounds. Mr Wickersham told investigators he thought he was entitled to enter the building because he pays his taxes.
According to the George Washington database, the average age of the Capitol rioters was 39 years old.
Other arrests include:
Thomas Webster - The retired New York City police officer is accused of assaulting an officer with a flag pole and his bare fist. He has been detained since his February arrest, pending trial
Nicholas Rodean - The Maryland man was fired from his job after he was seen wearing his work ID badge to the riot. His trial is expected in October.
Aaron Mostofsky - The 34-year-old son of a Brooklyn judge was freed after posting $100,000 bail. Pictures from the riot showed him wearing furs and a police tactical vest that he is accused of stealing
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