Florida emerges as a cradle of the insurrection as Jan. 6 Capitol riot arrests keep piling up

Florida is emerging as a cradle of the insurrection as the fallout from the Jan. 6 storming of the U.S. Capitol building paints a clearer picture of those involved.Florida is tied with Texas for the most individuals facing charges stemming from Jan. 6, with 47 arrests in each state out of the 484 total nationwide, according to a database maintained by USA Today.And Florida leads all states in arrests of individuals associated with two far right groups – the Oath Keepers and Proud Boys – that were active in breaching the Capitol.More than 40% of the Oath Keepers arrested on charges stemming from Jan. 6 are from Florida, and about a quarter of the Proud Boys. Federal authorities say she allegedly jammed a flag pole against a police sergeant’s chest, forcing him backwards until he fell into a statue and struck his head on the base.Florida’s other contributions to the insurrection include: a self-professed Proud Boy national leader from Volusia County; a Proud Boy from Largo who admitted to using cocaine and had seven guns taken from his home; a Proud Boy from East Naples accused of pepper spraying a line of Capitol police officers; and an Oath Keeper from Titusville who authorities believe stashed weapons near the Capitol to provide armed aid as part of a “quick reaction force.” He admitted to shooting his neighbor’s dog years ago.Florida is the third most populous state in the nation, so it’s not surprising that many of those facing charges stemming from Jan. 6 would reside here.But with 9.7% of those arrested, Florida’s involvement in the insurrection is disproportionate to the state’s 6.6% share of the U.S. population. According to his indictment, Register added that he wished he had made it to the U.S. House chamber “to show his support for President Trump."Roughly one in four of the Florida insurrectionists is associated with either the Proud Boys or the Oath Keepers, making the state a particular hotbed for individuals active in extremist groups who are facing charges stemming from Jan. 6. “We do see in Florida, just by the presence of a couple figureheads being based down there, we see a lot of visual activity related to the Proud Boys,” said Amy Iandiorio, an investigative researcher with the Anti-Defamation League’s Center on Extremism.More arrests:Proud Boys leaders from Florida, Seattle ordered into custody on new Capitol riot evidenceOrmond Beach Proud Boy Joseph Biggs, 37, is described in a motion filed by federal prosecutors as a leader within the group who was too dangerous to be awarded pre-trial release, according to the Daytona Beach News-Journal."The true nature of Defendant’s dangerousness stems from his role as a leader, and his ability to encourage and coordinate the actions of others in breaching the Capitol at a precise place and time," prosecutors wrote of Biggs.Biggs is an Army veteran deployed twice to Iraq and awarded two purple hearts. “If we think back to the group’s history, they have long engaged in conspiracy theories on a whole number of topics, including elections, especially presidential elections.”Jackson and other experts on extremism cautioned, though, about focusing too much on the Oath Keepers and other groups when trying to understand the Jan. 6 events at the Capitol.The overwhelming majority of those who participated, including the Floridians, are not affiliated with groups such as the Oath Keepers or Proud Boys.While 28% of those arrested from Florida are affiliated with a right-wing extremist group, that leaves 72% who aren’t.The majority of those arrested “are just motivated by extreme pro-Trump views or just an animated political ideology, but we wouldn’t put them in the category of an identified extremist group,” Iandioro noted.“I think it highlights how motivating mis- and disinformation can be when people are exposed to a narrative or information that by design is made to feel a sense of loss or grievance,” Iandioro added.