There is also additional evidence showing that militia groups like the Three Percenters coordinated with other groups both before and on January 6th. Josh Ellis, the owner of the MyMilitia website, testified that he used Zello (a walkie-talkie app) when he was in Washington, DC on January 6th. The Proud Boys, Oath Keepers, other militia members, and "regular patriots" all used these Zello channels in the leadup to January 6th and in response to President Trump's December 19th tweet. They used these channels to share intelligence.[312]
6.9 QANON: “OPERATION OCCUPY THE CAPITOL”
Shortly after the January 6th attack, a video of a bearded man in a "Q" shirt chasing U.S. Capitol Police Officer Ryan Goodman through the halls of the U.S. Capitol went viral.[313] That man was Doug Jensen, a QAnon believer.[314]
After Jensen's arrest, FBI agents asked him why he traveled from Iowa to Washington, DC in the first place. "Trump posted make sure you're there, January 6 for the rally in Washington, D.C.," Jensen responded.[315]
Jensen was not the only QAnon believer to attack the U.S. Capitol on January 6th. The letter "Q" and related slogans, such as "Where We Go One, We Go All," were ubiquitous among the rioters. They were visible on shirts, signs, and flags throughout the crowd. What was once a marginal digital movement had become a bricks-and-mortar force powerful enough to help obstruct a joint session of Congress.
QAnon is a bizarre and dangerous cult that gained popularity in 2017, when a person known only as "Q" began posting on 4chan, an anonymous message board.[316] The poster supposedly held a "Q" security clearance at the Department of Energy. QAnon adherents believe that President Trump is a messianic figure battling the forces of the "deep state" and a Satanic pedophile ring operated by leading Democrats and the American elite.[317] Q's first post in October 2017 predicted that former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton would be arrested in short order.[318] Although that prophecy did not come to pass, the conspiracy theory evolved and grew over time, spreading across social media platforms and eventually finding a home in 8kun, another anonymous message board known for trafficking in conspiracy theories and hate.[319]
President Trump was given multiple opportunities to disavow QAnon. Instead, he essentially endorsed its core tenets. During an August 19, 2020, press briefing, President Trump was asked what he thought about the QAnon belief that he was fighting a Satanic cabal. "I mean, you know, if I can help save the world from problems, I'm willing to do it. I'm willing to put myself out there," he replied.[320] During a townhall on NBC News two
