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2 brothers were charged over the Capitol Riot. One yelled a Proud Boys slogan as he broke in, prosecutors say.

Mar 25, 2021, 20:18 IST
Business Insider
An image of Jonathanpeter Allen Klein and Matthew Leland Klein, which prosecutors say shows Jonathanpeter doing a Proud Boys hand signal the day before the Capitol riot.UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT DISTRICT OF OREGON PORTLAND DIVISION
  • Two brothers accused of being part of the Proud Boys have been charged over the Capitol riot.
  • The indictment said Jonathanpeter Klein celebrated with another Proud Boy after entering the Capitol.
  • He and his brother Leland were also accused of attending past Proud Boys events.
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Two brothers from Oregon have been charged over the Capitol riots, court documents show.

One of the brothers was accused of using a Proud Boys slogan after entering the building during the violence of January 6.

Matthew Leland Klein and Jonathanpeter Allen Klein were charged with six offenses, including destruction of government property, obstruction of law enforcement, conspiracy, and entering a restricted building.

The indictment said that Jonathanpeter "is a self-identified member of the Proud Boys."

It said that he "engaged in a celebratory exchange with an identified member of the Proud Boys" after entering the Capitol building and, a few minutes later, turned to that member and said "proud of your f-----g boy!"

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The statement refers to the Disney song "Proud of Your Boy" from which the group takes its name.

Court documents submitted to the United States District Court District of Oregon Portland Division also said that he did "a Proud Boys hand signal."

Prosecutors said that a photo of Jonathanpeter the day before the riot also showed him doing a Proud Boys hand signal. The details match this photo:

An image of Jonathanpeter Allen Klein and Matthew Leland Klein, which prosecutors say shows Jonathanpeter doing a Proud Boys hand signal the day before the Capitol riot.UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT DISTRICT OF OREGON PORTLAND DIVISION
The Proud Boys is a right-wing, pro-Trump group that is classified as a hate group by the Southern Poverty Law Centre.

Experts say the group spreads white supremacist, misogynistic, anti-immigrant, and anti-Semitic ideologies, though the group has denied doing so.

The indictment said its "members routinely attend rallies, protests, and other events, some of which have resulted in violence involving members of the group."

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The indictment does not connect Matthew to the Proud Boys.

But further prosecuting documents claim "there is also evidence that the defendants have participated in one or more Proud Boys events during which they were prepared to engage in and/or did engage in violent conduct."

They said that photos appear to show both of the brothers at a protest featuring Trump supporters and Proud Boys members on September 7, where there were clashes with Black Lives Matter protesters.

And Matthew is also facing a charge of possession of loaded firearms related to a September 26 Proud Boys rally in Portland.

The riot took place as a mob of Trump supporters stormed the Capitol hours after Trump addressed them at the rally and encouraged attendees to "fight like hell."

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The crowd then stormed the building, forcing lawmakers to evacuate while voting to confirm President Joe Biden's election victory. Five people, including a Capitol Police officer, died.

The indictment said the brothers were part of the crowd outside the Capitol and "eventually forced their way through, up, and over additional Capitol Police barricades" to get to the exterior of the building, and that they were able to enter after other rioters forced their way in.

Still images from video footage shared with the court claim to show Matthew wearing goggles outside the Capitol, with a portion of Jonathanpeter also visible.

Video stills that prosecutors say show Matthew Leland Klein outside the Capitol.UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT DISTRICT OF OREGON PORTLAND DIVISION

The indictment said that, when they exited the building, they then "worked in coordination to forcibly open a secured door on the Capitol's north side."

It said that, when law enforcement tried to stop them, Matthew put on protective goggles and moved towards the officers, where he then "used a Gadsden flag affixed to a flagpole to interfere with efforts by law enforcement to disperse the crowd."

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Hundreds of people have been arrested since the riot, with others also accused of being part of the Proud Boys.

Court documents say that members spent weeks planning their actions at the Capitol, including telling members to dress "incognito" and split up to avoid detection.

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