An organizer of the far-right extremist group The Proud Boys was arrested in Florida on Wednesday for his alleged role in the attack on the Capitol earlier this month.
According to an affidavit, Joseph Randall Biggs, 37, has been charged with obstructing official proceedings before Congress, disorderly conduct and entering a restricted building. Biggs is a member of the Proud Boys and a self-proclaimed organizer of the group’s events.
According to the affidavit, Biggs began publicly encouraging members of the Proud Boys to attend the Jan. 6 demonstration in Washington, DC as early as December last year. Part of the communication was with Enrique Tarrio, the president of the Proud Boys, who was arrested on January 4 upon his arrival in Washington DC.
The group has a long history of encouragement from former President Donald Trump’s rhetoric. In a presidential debate in September, Trump told the Proud Boys to “step back” rather than condemn the rise of white supremacy.
To date, federal charges against more than 115 defendants have been made public. The FBI has continued to scour social media, tips, and personal videos to find suspects across the country where hundreds of federal and local charges are being imposed.
While Biggs left the Capitol without arrest, he admitted to being in the Capitol and entering the building in an interview with FBI agents on Jan. 18, the affidavit said. Biggs, however, denied that they both pushed the capital or knew that others would storm the building. “Biggs informed the interviewing officer that the doors to the Capitol were wide open when he entered the building,” the affidavit said.
Jesus Rivera, from Pensacola, was also arrested on Wednesday. Rivera was charged with knowingly entering a restricted building, obstructing government affairs, disorderly conduct, and demonstrating on Capitol grounds.