Several groups of extremists stormed the Capitol today. Here are some of the most notable individuals, symbols, and groups present.
Mike Theiler/Reuters
- A pro-Trump mob stormed the US Capitol in Washington, DC, on Wednesday, bringing extremist iconography and some regalia associated with far-right or white-supremacist groups.
- Some rioters wore clothing associated with the conspiracy-theory group QAnon, Confederate flags waved, and a contingent of Proud Boys made an appearance in all black.
- Here are the most recognizable symbols and groups photographed at Wednesday's insurrection.
- Visit Business Insider's homepage for more stories.
Thousands of pro-Trump rioters descended on the US Capitol building on Wednesday during Congress' attempt to certify Joe Biden as the winner of the 2020 Presidential Election. Hundreds of those armed insurrectionists broke into the building itself, forcing members of Congress to huddle in safe locations until local police and members of the DC National Guard had secured the premises.
In addition to pro-Trump regalia, the group also sported clothing, accessories, and symbols associated with largely far-right, racist extremist groups. Below are images and descriptions of some of the most recognizable groups and symbols present at the Capitol.
Jim Urquhart/Reuters
The flag, which mimics a Nazi war flag, is the purported banner for a fictional country known as "Kekistan" created by white nationalist users of 4chan, a messaging board home to racist and hateful chat groups. The nation is ruled by a frog-headed deity called "Kek," normally represented by Pepe the Frog.
Washington Post reporter Rebecca Tan and CNN both captured a person waving a Kek flag at the Capitol on Wednesday.
The Three PercentersStephanie Keith/Reuters
The Three Percenters derive their name from a disputed historical claim that only 3% of Americans fought the British in the Revolutionary War. The extremist group exists within the US' so-called militia movement, and is traditionally viewed as an anti-government group. However, many members are strong supporters of President Trump.
QAnon supportersSAUL LOEB/AFP via Getty Images
One figure stood out among the mob that stormed the Capitol Wednesday: the "Q Shaman," Jake Angeli. Known for wearing red, white, and blue face paint and a horned helmet, Angeli has become a notable figure in the QAnon conspiracy-theory movement, popping up at far-right rallies in Arizona in the last year, as The Arizona Republic reported.
QAnon, the far-right conspiracy theory baselessly alleging that Trump is fighting a "deep-state cabal" of pedophiles and human traffickers, has played a massive role in organizing nationwide "Stop the Steal" protests in the two months since President-elect Joe Biden won the 2020 election.
"Stop the Steal"OLIVIER DOULIERY/AFP via Getty Images
The "Stop the Steal" movement began on Election Day when Trump supporters protested for state election officials to stop counting ballots in an effort to maintain Trump's early-in-the-race lead. Since then, the movement has evolved into a conspiracy theory claiming, with no evidence, that vast electoral fraud swayed the 2020 election in President-elect Joe Biden's favor.
In November and December, loosely organized "Stop the Steal" groups hosted rallies in Washington, DC, Michigan, Las Vegas, Atlanta, and Ohio.
Nooses and "Day of the rope"ANDREW CABALLERO-REYNOLDS/AFP via Getty Images
Multiple nooses appeared near the Capitol on Wednesday, including the setup above, one around the neck of a mannequin, and one made out of cables from some Associated Press camera equipment.
Additionally, Twitter users and members of militant chat rooms made numerous references to "Day of the Rope," a white supremacist concept taken from The Turner Diaries, an infamous novel by the former leader of the neo-Nazi National Alliance. The concept refers to a day when white supremacists lynch masses masses of "race traitors," including journalists and politicians.
The Confederate flagThe flag of the Confederate States of America, which seceded from the United States and fought in the Civil War in an effort to continue the institution of slavery, is often used as a hate symbol or an emblem of white supremacy. Rioters brought that flag into the US Capitol on Wednesday.
Proud BoysJim Urquhart/Reuters
The Proud Boys, founded by Vice Media co-founder Gavin McInnes, rose to national prominence after Trump and Biden name-checked them at the first presidential debate. Members of the far-right group describe themselves as "western chauvinists," according to the Southern Poverty Law Center. The group has violently clashed with the anti-fascist movement.
The Proud Boys' chairman, Enrique Tarrio, announced on Parler earlier this week that the group would be attending Wednesday's rally "incognito," dressed in all black instead of their usual black-and-yellow uniform with MAGA hats.
Black Hebrew IsraelitesReuters/Al Drago
The Black Hebrew Israelites is a movement of people who believe that Black descendants of slaves are the true Hebrews, or God's chosen people. The Southern Poverty Law Center has labeled the movement a hate group, as they view Jewish people as "impostors."
Daily Beast reporter Will Sommer tweeted a photo of what he said was a a group of people dressed in clothing denoting the group outside of the Capitol.
National Anarchist Movement (N-AM)
Jack Sapoch
Unlike traditional anarchism, which is anti-racist, the National Anarchist Movement is a far-right, antisemitic group advocating for racial separatism. The organization's website states that "an elite coterie of Jews and their allies have effectively manipulated world events for their own interests," and refers to this group as "vampiric parasites."
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