One of the people who stormed the Capitol during the Jan. 6 attack disguised himself to look like a member of antifa, federal prosecutors alleged.
William Norwood, who was arrested after his alleged participation in the riot, told a group chat the day before that he planned on “dressing in all black” so he would “look just like ANTIFA,” adding he would “get away with anything,” a criminal complaint stated.
Screenshots of his group chat, in which he allegedly discussed his actions on Jan. 6, were included in the criminal complaint. He was charged Thursday with violent entry and disorderly conduct on Capitol grounds, obstruction of justice and Congress, and theft of government property, among other charges.
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The day after the riot, Norwood texted the chat again, allegedly saying, “It worked. … I got away with things that others were shot or arrested for,” adding in a subsequent text, “I tested a theory. I was right. I saw ANTIFA being bused in and escorted by the police.”
The text continued, “The cop shot a female Trump supporter. Then allowed ‘ANTIFA Trump supporters’ to assault him. I was one of them. I was there. I took his shit,” referring to the death of Ashli Babbitt, the 35-year-old veteran who was shot and killed as she allegedly tried to breach a door leading to the House Chamber.
Norwood also sent a photo of himself wearing “what appears to be a U.S. Capitol Police tactical vest underneath a zipped up camouflage jacket,” according to the complaint.
Throughout the group chat chain, Norwood allegedly claimed he was attacked when he put on “my red hat,” a potential reference to the “Make America Great Again” hat. He said he “fought four cops” and that the law enforcement “were ordered to allow Antifa to get away with anything,” but he later said that he “saved several cops from being killed by antifa.”
The FBI caught up with Norwood after his sibling, who was in the group chat, showed the text messages to another relative, who alerted authorities. The sibling, who was identified by the initials J.D. in the charging documents, rebuked Norwood in the group chat for his actions at the Capitol.
“You admitted to going and being something you’re accusing other people of being. And then got mad and blamed others for the same thing you did. What the actual f— is wrong with you?” J.D. said.
Norwood later allegedly said, “The one cop who deserved it, got it,” added that he’s “anti s—– cop,” and said, “The cops who acted s—–, got exactly what they deserved.”
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FBI special agent in charge Steven D’Antuono of the Washington field office told reporters in January that “we have no indication of that at this time” when he was asked about claims from some Trump supporters that the storming of the Capitol was fomented by antifa infiltrators.
