(AFP)
14 months following the storming of the US Congress, the noose is tightening on the American right following the arrest of the leader of the “Broad Boys” group on Tuesday and the issuance of the first judicial conviction in the file.
The leader of the American far-right group was arrested in Miami on suspicion of his involvement in the storming of the US Capitol last year, according to the Public Prosecution Office in Washington.
stir up discord
And the US authorities have previously arrested the 56-year-old founder of the “Oath Keepers” group, Stuart Rhodes, and ten other members of the group, accusing them of “inciting sedition.”
About two thousand supporters of former US President Donald Trump, under the influence of his allegations of electoral fraud, stormed the Congress during the confirmation session for his rival Joe Biden’s victory.
775 people were arrested for their involvement in the January 6 attack. Nearly 220 people have pleaded guilty to various charges.
The storming of the Capitol left at least five people dead, 140 police injured, and followed Trump’s fiery speech to thousands of supporters near the White House.
On Tuesday, a jury found Jay Rivett, a member of the Three Percentages, guilty of all charges brought once morest him in the US Capitol storming case.
Multiple counts
Rivette, a 49-year-old Texan, was charged with illegally bringing a weapon into Washington, obstructing police work, and obstructing an official process of confirming Biden’s victory in the November 2020 presidential election.
Rivett was also charged with obstruction of justice by threatening his son and daughter if they testified regarding his involvement in the attack on the Capitol.
The sentencing hearing will take place on June 8 and he faces up to 20 years in prison.
Despite his father’s warning not to “shoot traitors”, Revit’s 18-year-old son gave moving testimony once morest his father in court.
The 12-member jury deliberated for only a few hours before indicting Rivett on the five charges once morest him.
Inciting rioters
“Jay Rivette incited the first group of rioters who breached the Capitol, and incited the outlaw defendants,” Attorney General Risa Berkauer said in her closing arguments.
During the four days of witness testimony, the jury was shown a video of Rivette confronting police on the steps of the Capitol and inciting the pro-Trump crowd.
Prosecutors also displayed text messages from Rivett pledging to get lawmakers out of Congress “by their hair.”
“The election didn’t produce the results he wanted, so he took matters into his own hands,” Berkauer said.
Who is the windbreaker and helmet man?
Rivett was wearing a windbreaker and helmet, handcuffs and a pistol when he arrived at the Capitol, prosecutors said.
Rivett, who works in the oil sector from Wiley, Texas, is the first person to be tried for charges related to the attack on Capitol Hill in a case heard in a federal court in Washington that has been closely watched for its potential impact on the trials of other defendants in the riots.
Planning to storm the Capitol
On Tuesday, District of Columbia Attorney General Matthew Greaves, who is investigating the storming of the US Capitol, announced that 38-year-old Henry Enrique Tarrio and five other members of the organization had been charged with conspiracy and other charges.
And “Tario”, a strong supporter of the former US president, is not accused of participating in the storming of Congress with hundreds of supporters of the Republican billionaire during the confirmation session for Joe Biden’s victory.
But the indictment alleges that Tario “led the advance planning and maintained contact with other members of the Proud Boys organization during the storming of the Capitol Building, which houses the House and Senate, which comprise the US Congress.”
Tario was arrested on January 4 last year on a warrant accusing him of property destruction in the case of burning a Black Lives Matter banner hanging at a church in Washington.
He was released, but was given orders to remain outside Washington, which explains why he was not in the US capital when Congress was stormed.
