On January 3, three days before the attack on the Capitol, Enrique Tarrio, the leader of the far-right organization known as Proud Boys, shared an enigmatic post on the Telegram messaging app: “What if we invade it?”
The message was sent to its more than 7,000 followers on the app, with the first response being “January 6 is D-Day in America”.
The Wall Street Journal analyzed thousands of posts from the Proud Boys and their members on Parler, Telegram and Gab, the social media platforms where they gathered online supporters after being banned from Facebook and Twitter. The messages show the group repeatedly invoking President Trump’s rhetoric in the weeks leading up to the January 6 protest, while building momentum towards what has become a violent confrontation.
Investigators said they are examining messages online like these, while trying to determine the planning and intent of those involved in the attack on the Capitol.
The Journal’s analysis, which included now deleted posts that were archived by researchers, suggests that the Proud Boys saw Trump’s messages as a call to action.