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Sunday 22 August 2021

InfoWars host Owen Shroyer is charged with being part of MAGA mob during January 6 Capitol riot after 'entering restricted area'

 A host for the right-wing conspiracy website Infowars has been charged in connection to the Capitol riot after video footage spotted him at the Capitol grounds, according to court documents filed Friday.

The US Department of Justice alleges that Owen Shroyer, host of the 'The War Room With Owen Shroyer,' entered restricted grounds on January 6 and engaged in disorderly conduct, breaking the terms of a deal he made to avoid criminal charges from an arrest in 2019.  

During his show, Shroyer said that his lawyer informed him there's a warrant out for his arrest and that he will have to turn himself into authorities Monday morning.

'There's a lot of questions, some I have answers to, some I don't. ... I plan on declaring innocence of these charges because I am,' Shroyer said.

Owen Shroyer, of Infowars, was removed from the House Judiciary Committee's impeachment hearing in 2019 for disorderly conduct. He avoided charges by agreeing not to engage in future acts of disorderly or disruptive conduct on the Capitol grounds

Owen Shroyer, of Infowars, was removed from the House Judiciary Committee's impeachment hearing in 2019 for disorderly conduct. He avoided charges by agreeing not to engage in future acts of disorderly or disruptive conduct on the Capitol grounds 

 

The Department of Justice alleges that Shroyer, circled, entered restricted grounds during the Jan. 6 riots as he accompanied his boss, Alex Jones, holding the microphone

The Department of Justice alleges that Shroyer, circled, entered restricted grounds during the Jan. 6 riots as he accompanied his boss, Alex Jones, holding the microphone

The deadly Jan. 6 riot left nearly 140 officers injured in the clash with protestors who attempted to stop the verification of President Joe Biden's 2020 election win

The deadly Jan. 6 riot left nearly 140 officers injured in the clash with protestors who attempted to stop the verification of President Joe Biden's 2020 election win

Authorities say video shows Shroyer marching to the Capitol from the Ellipse shortly before the building was breached, telling the crowd 'today we march for the Capitol because on this historic January 6, 2021, we have to let our Congressmen and women know, and we have to let Mike Pence know, they stole the election, we know they stole it, and we aren´t going to accept it!' 

Shroyer had been arrested in December 2019 for shouting during a House Judiciary Committee impeachment hearing. 

He received a deferred prosecution agreement in that case, in which he agreed to do community service and follow certain conditions, like not engaging in disorderly or disruptive conduct on Capitol grounds, according to court documents.

He hadn't completed any of the required community service hours as of Jan. 6, so that agreement was still in effect, authorities said.

No lawyer was listed for him in federal court records.

Shroyer appeared unfazed by the allegations and joked about coking to jail on Twitter.   

The Department of Justice has issued an arrest warrant for Owen Shroyer

The Department of Justice has issued an arrest warrant for Owen Shroyer

More than 570 people have been charged with federal crimes in the deadly riot that interrupted the certification of President Joe Biden´s victory, and nearly 40 people have pleaded guilty so far.

Dozens of people have been charged with assaulting law enforcement officers who were trying to protect the Capitol. 

The riots left five dead - including Ashli Babbitt who was shot by a Capitol officer, another died of a drug overdose and three died of natural causes.

Nearly 140 officers were injured, and four officers who responded to the riot have killed themselves.  


Shroyer had attended the pro-Trump rally prior to the riot with Infowars founder Alex Jones and 'Stop the Steal' organizer Ali Alexander.

Shroyer was seen on the west side of the Capitol next to the inauguration stage as well as at the top of the stairs on the east side of the Capitol, authorities said in the documents.

They added that Shroyer was vocal in advance of Jan. 6 about stopping the certification of the Electoral College vote. 

The day before the riot, he spoke at Freedom Plaza, declaring: 'Americans are ready to fight. We´re not exactly sure what that´s going to look like perhaps in a couple of weeks if we can´t stop this certification of the fraudulent election ... we are the new revolution! We are going to restore and we are going to save the republic!' according to the court papers.

Documents compiled by the US Justice Department allege that Owen Shroyer, of Infowars, entered restricted grounds on Jan. 6 and engaged in disorderly conduct

Documents compiled by the US Justice Department allege that Owen Shroyer, of Infowars, entered restricted grounds on Jan. 6 and engaged in disorderly conduct 

Alex Jones, pictured during a rally in April, is the founder of the far-right conspiracy website, Infowars. Two of his employees have been charged in connection to the Jan. 6 Capitol riot

Alex Jones, pictured during a rally in April, is the founder of the far-right conspiracy website, Infowars. Two of his employees have been charged in connection to the Jan. 6 Capitol riot

Samuel Montoya, an Infowars video editor was charged for storming into the Capitol building on Jan. 6

Samuel Montoya, an Infowars video editor was charged for storming into the Capitol building on Jan. 6

Shroyer is the second person who works for Infowars to face federal charges stemming from Jan. 6.

Samuel Montoya, an Infowars video editor, was arrested in April on charges including impeding passage through the Capitol grounds. 

Montoya spoke on an Infowars show about witnessing a police officer shoot and kill a Ashli Babbit at the Capitol.

Montoya is charged with entering and remaining in a restricted building, disorderly and disruptive conduct in a Capitol Building, impeding passage through the Capitol Grounds or Buildings, and parading, demonstrating, or picketing in a Capitol Building.

According to an arrest warrant affidavit, a family member of Montoya tipped off the FBI that he was 'physically inside the US Capitol. 

The FBI has found scant evidence that the Jan. 6 attack on the US Capitol was the result of an organized plot to overturn the presidential election result, according to four current and former law enforcement officials. 

The agency at this point believes the violence was not centrally coordinated by far-right groups or prominent supporters of then-President Donald Trump, according to the sources, who have been either directly involved in or briefed regularly on the wide-ranging investigations.

A former senior law enforcement official with knowledge of the probe said that '90 to 95 percent of these are one-off cases.'

'Then you have five percent, maybe, of these militia groups that were more closely organized. But there was no grand scheme with Roger Stone and Alex Jones and all of these people to storm the Capitol and take hostages.' 

More than 570 people have been arrested in connection with the Capitol riot on January 6

During the Jan. 6 riot at the US Capitol, participants clashed with police

During the Jan. 6 riot at the US Capitol, participants clashed with police

The Capitol Hill mob tries to force their way into the building on Jan. 6

The Capitol Hill mob tries to force their way into the building on Jan. 6

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