Proud Boys organiser arrested in Florida over siege at Capitol building in Washington, DC
- Biggs told FBI agents that he had no knowledge about the planning of the destructive riot
- The Proud Boys are a neo-fascist group known for engaging in violent clashes at political rallies
Two Florida men, including a self-described organiser for the Proud Boys, a far-right extremist group, were arrested on Wednesday for taking part in the siege of the US Capitol earlier this month, authorities said.
Joseph Biggs, 37, was arrested in central Florida and faces charges of obstructing an official proceeding before Congress, entering a restricted area on the groups of the US Capitol and disorderly conduct.
According to an arrest affidavit, Biggs was part of a crowd on January 6 that overwhelmed Capitol Police officers who were manning a metal barrier on the steps of the Capitol. The mob entered the building as lawmakers were certifying President Joe Biden’s election win.
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Biggs appeared to be wearing a walkie-talkie during the storming of the Capitol, but he told FBI agents that he had no knowledge about the planning of the destructive riot and did not know who organised it, the affidavit said.
Ahead of the riot, Biggs told followers of his on the social media app Parler to dress in black to resemble the far-left antifa movement, the affidavit said.
Biggs had organised a 2019 rally in Portland, Oregon, in which more than 1,000 far-right protesters and anti-fascist counter-demonstrators faced off.
The Proud Boys are a neo-fascist group known for engaging in violent clashes at political rallies. During a September presidential debate, Trump had urged them to “stand back and stand by” when asked to condemn them by a moderator.