WASHINGTON, D.C. — An Indiana man has been arrested for his involvement in the breach of the U.S. Capitol on Jan. 6, 2021.
Gregory Mijares, 41, of Crown Point, is charged with Civil Disorder, a Felony, and Entering or Remaining in a Restricted Building and Disorderly and Disruptive Conduct, Misdemeanors. Mijares was arrested on Friday in Crown Point.
According to court documents, Mijares traveled to Washington, D.C., on Jan. 6, 2021, to protest the 2020 Presidential Election and attend a rally held that day in support of former President Donald Trump.
Following the rally, police say Mijares began walking with the crowd toward the U.S. Capitol and entered the grounds wearing a gas mask. He made his way to the Lower West Terrace and retreated police officers. As officers attempted to fall back into the Lower West Terrace Tunnel, Mijares stood in their path and raised a flag over his head. Officers then attempted to remove Mijares from their path, and a physical altercation ensued between officers and Mijares.
Body-worn camera footage and security videos show Mijares approached a set of glass doors that police locked behind them as they moved further into the Tunnel. Rioters then smashed one of the panes of glass in the doors. Police say Mijares held up his middle finger at officers before pulling open the door.
Court documents say other rioters swarmed Mijares at the police line and began physically fighting officers as Mijares pushed against a riot shield. At some point, an officer struck Mijares with a baton while he was facing the shield wall. Mijares attempted to block the baton by raising his arms up in front of his head, eventually grabbing the baton.
Mijares remained at the front of the line, pushing against police until 2:45 p.m. He exited the Tunnel to reenter at 3:11 p.m. and rejoin other rioters in a coordinated pushing effort against the police, court documents say.
In the 32 months since Jan. 6, 2021, more than 1,146 individuals have been arrested in nearly all 50 states for crimes related to the breach of the U.S. Capitol, including more than 398 individuals charged with assaulting or impeding law enforcement.
