Did antifa do 1/6? Nope. They had nothing to do with it. But many of the people who were actually there committing crimes are now in jail. On Thursday, 1/6 defendant Gilbert Fonticoba was sentenced to four years in federal prison for his actions on January 6th and subsequent lack of remorse.
Gilbert Fonticoba, seen in the MAGA hat in this video, sentenced to four years in federal prison. https://t.co/ByMRKQ9KQ5
— Ryan J. Reilly (@ryanjreilly) January 11, 2024
“We breached the fuckin’ Capitol hill, brah. We breached the fuckin’ Capitol building, brah. That shit was fuckin’ intense as fuck, bro,” said the man known as #SumoPB, NBC News Justice reporterReilly added.
Fonticoba’s actions as summed up by the government include breaching the Capitol grounds and building with others in who shared his criminal intent, helping to destroy the black metal fence and interfering with officers who were trying to stop the crowd’s advance because he wanted to stop the Certification of the Electoral College vote, followed by not only a lack of remorse, but false claims that it was a false flag by the FBI and Antifa.
The depth of the “thin blue line champion” hypocrisy can best be appreciated by Fonticoba saying of the officers who protected the Capitol: “F*ck the Blue.”
From the government’s sentencing memorandum court documents:
As set forth in the Statement of Offense (ECF No. 44), Fonticoba prepared for and thenengaged in persistent efforts to interfere with law enforcement at the Capitol and disrupt the Electoral College certification on January 6. Fonticoba prepared for and took these actions as part of a hand-selected group of Proud Boys members1 that openly discussed its plans for violence at the Capitol and intention to confront police who might try to stand in their way. See, e.g., id. at 48-59. On January 6, Fonticoba and his associates followed through, and Fonticoba was at the forefront of the breach during several critical moments. He was among the first group of rioters that forced their way through the outer police lines and onto Capitol grounds.
Also in the initial minutes of the riot, Fonticoba joined Proud Boys leaders Ethan Nordean and Joseph Biggs in their effort to tear down a fixed metal fence and unleash the masses on a thin line of police officers.
While on Capitol grounds, Fonticoba rejoiced in “storm[ing] the Capitol” with fellow Proud Boys, and Fonticoba provided his “current location” so that a fellow Proud Boys member could join the group’s efforts. After nearly an hour on Capitol grounds, when law enforcement appeared to regain control over the crowd, Fonticoba took concerted action—again as part of a group—to return to the frontlines and participate in a fateful push up the concrete stairs toward the Capitol building.
Fonticoba then joined other Proud Boys, including Joseph Biggs, as they were among the first wave of rioters to enter the Capitol building as Members of Congress were still in session.
Shortly after entering, Fonticoba proudly reported back to other Proud Boys, “We just stormed the capital [sic].”
After leaving the Capitol Fonticoba traveled to Baltimore, Maryland, where he continued to celebrate the day’s events with the Proud Boys chairman, Enrique Tarrio.
Fonticoba did not regret his actions on January 6; he reveled in them. With respect to those who condemned violence and called for prosecution of those who had stormed the Capitol, Fonticoba voiced his disdain with repeated rejoinders of “Fuck you.”
With respect to the officers who had bravely fought to protect the Capitol and its occupants, Fonticoba offered “F*ck the Blue.”
And while knowing full well that he and his associates had been at the vanguard of the riot, Fonticoba used social media to advance the false narrative that police officers and Antifa had engaged in a “false flag operation” at the Capitol.
Fonticoba’s rampage on January 6 was not the result of mistake or accident; his actions had a purpose. Fonticoba breached the Capitol grounds and building, helped destroy the black metal fence, and interfered with officers who were trying to stop the crowd’s advance because he wanted to stop the Certification of the Electoral College vote.
And Fonticoba took these actions in concert with others who shared in his criminal purpose.
Meanwhile, the man who incited all of this is once again running for president and is the front runner for his party’s nomination.
Donald Trump also faces 91 criminal counts in four separate prosecutions, has been found liable for rape and fraud since the last time he ran for office, and has refused to rule out violence or even say it’s not acceptable.
Image: 1/6 selfie video presented as evidence in a Proud Boys seditious conspiracy trial, shared by reporter Ryan Reilly.
A Special Message From PoliticusUSA
If you are in a position to donate purely to help us keep the doors open on PoliticusUSA during what is a critical election year, please do so here.
We have been honored to be able to put your interests first for 14 years as we only answer to our readers and we will not compromise on that fundamental, core PoliticusUSA value.
Listen to Sarah on the PoliticusUSA Pod on The Daily newsletter podcast here.
Sarah has been credentialed to cover President Barack Obama, then VP Joe Biden, 2016 Democratic presidential candidate Hillary Clinton, and exclusively interviewed Speaker Nancy Pelosi multiple times and exclusively covered her first home appearance after the first impeachment of then President Donald Trump.
Sarah is two-time Telly award winning video producer and a member of the Society of Professional Journalists.
Connect with Sarah on Post, Mastodon @PoliticusSarah@Journa.Host, & Twitter.