Washington, D.C. . . . to support Trump," and to "keep up the fight."[299] Several "B-squad" members have been charged with civil disorder and disorderly and disruptive conduct, which took place while rioters nearby were assaulting officers in the tunnel area of the Capitol's Lower West Terrace on January 6th.[300]
In California, another group of men associated with the Three Percenter movement quickly began plotting their next moves after President Trump's tweet. Alan Hostetter and Russell Taylor ran a non-profit known as the American Phoenix Project, which protested COVID-19 lockdowns and the 2020 election results, while also promoting violence ahead of January 6th.[301] Ahead of the joint session, Hostetter and Taylor organized a small group in an encrypted chat they named "The California Patriots—DC Brigade."[302]
On December 19th, Taylor linked to President Trump's "will be wild" tweet and asked members of the chat "Who is going?"[303] The same day, Hostetter posted a message to his Instagram account, explaining he was traveling to Washington, DC on January 6th because President Trump "tweeted that all patriots should descend on Washington DC" and that day "is the date of the Joint Session of Congress in which they will either accept or reject the fake/phony/stolen electoral college votes."[304] The next day, Taylor renamed the Telegram chat as "The California Patriots-Answer the Call Jan 6."[305] On December 29th, Taylor posted to that chat: "I personally want to be on the front steps and be one of the first ones to breach the doors!"[306]
Between December 19th and January 6th, Hostetter, Taylor and their alleged co-conspirators exchanged messages about bringing weapons, such as hatchets, bats, or large metal flashlights, as well as possibly firearms, with them to Washington, DC.[307] They were "ready and willing to fight."[308] In one message, Hostetter predicted that January 6th would be similar to the "War of Independence" because "[t]here will likely be 3% of us again that will commit fully to this battle, but just as in 1776 patriots will prevail."[309]
There are additional examples of how President Trump's "be wild" tweet led Three Percenters to descend on the U.S. Capitol. One Three Percenter group issued an open letter on December 16, 2020, announcing that they "stand ready and are standing by to answer the call from our President should the need arise that We The People are needed to take back our country from the pure evil that is conspiring to steal our country away from the American people. . . . We will not act unless we are told to."[310] In late December, after the President's tweet, The Three Percenters Original (TTPO) issued a letter to its members announcing that "this organization will be answering that call!"[311]
