When supporters of Donald Trump stormed the U.S. Capitol Hill on Wednesday afternoon, a face familiar to QAnon conspiracy theorists was seen leading the break-in.
U.S. Capitol police officers try to stop supporters of Donald Trump, including the “QAnon Shaman.”
Image: AFP via Getty Images
Jake Angeli, who is better known as the “QAnon Shaman,” was captured on camera multiple times from different sources making his way through the Capitol. He was even photographed inside the Senate chambers.
The photos of this well-known QAnon figure inside the Capitol are a perfect visual representation of just how influential QAnon has been in fomenting anger around unfounded conspiracies about election fraud, eventually leading up to this moment.
Angeli yells inside the Senate Chamber on Jan. 06, 2021 in Washington, DC.
Image: Getty Images
Previously, Angeli has been seen protesting outside the Maricopa County, Arizona Elections Office following the spread of falsehoods that the election was being stolen from President Trump after the November election.
The QAnon supporter may stick out like a sore thumb in the photos released from the rioting inside the Capitol, but he’s become a fixture at many pro-Trump rallies over the past year as well. At these events, Angeli could often be found shouting about the latest QAnon-related conspiracies.
Angeli screams “Freedom” inside the Senate chamber after the U.S. Capitol was breached by a mob during a joint session of Congress.
Image: Getty Images
Angeli has become one of the more recognizable faces of the QAnon movement, which believes President Trump is secretly waging war against the Deep State to take down a global satanic pedophile ring run by his political enemies. The movement, which has no basis in fact, has become increasingly influential over the last few years.