Colorado’s Robert Gieswein charged in U.S. Capitol riot for allegedly assaulting police officer

A 24-year-old Colorado man faces federal charges after investigators allege he assaulted and threatened police officers defending the U.S. Capitol and also climbed through a broken window to enter the building during the Jan. 6 riot that disrupted the certification of the 2020 election.

Robert Gieswein, of Woodland Park, faces charges of assault on a federal officer, destruction of government property, obstruction of an official proceeding, entering a restricted building, disorderly conduct, and aiding and abetting, according to a warrant for his arrest written by an FBI agent.

Gieswein appears to be affiliated with at least one anti-government militia movement, the Three Percenters, according to the arrest warrant. Gieswein posted photos of himself on his Facebook posing in front of a Three Percenter flag.

People who align with the Three Percenters ideology generally believe they are protecting the masses from government tyranny and some associated with the movement have been criminally charged in connection to terroristic plots. The FBI labeled the Three Percenters a “radical militia group.”

Gieswein appeared to run a local, private paramilitary training group called the Woodland Wild Dogs, according to his arrest affidavit. He wore patches with the group’s name during the Capitol riot and the FBI used those patches, as well as his pseudo-military gear, to help identify him.

Video of Gieswein at the Capitol shows him spraying a police officer with an unknown substance while the officer was trying to keep the crowd from pushing down barricades, according to the affidavit. He encouraged others in the mob to break a window and then climbed through the window into the Capitol, the affidavit states. He also carried a baseball bat during the riot.

Gieswein spoke to a journalist on Jan. 5 and told her that the nation needed to get “corrupt politicians” out of office, naming several powerful Democrats, and alluded to an anti-Semitic conspiracy.

It’s unclear whether Gieswein has been arrested in connection to the charges.

This is a developing story and will be updated.

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