On Wednesday, during the chaos and violence at US Capitol started by Donald Trump's supporters, a man broke into House Speaker Nancy Pelosi's office, sat on her chair, left a message for her on her desk and then left the building with an envelope that he allegedly took from her office.
In what is being deemed as an attack on democracy, a flag-waving mob broke down barricades outside the Capitol and stormed inside where a session of the Congress was being held to certify President-elect Joe Biden's win. They rampaged through offices and onto the usually solemn legislative floors. Police have now cleared the last of the supporters of Trump from the US Capitol after they stormed the building and disrupted the certification by Congress of Democrat Joe Biden's election victory.
One of the mobsters had managed to break into Pelosi's office and spent quite a bit of time there before he exited the building. The man has been identified as Richard Bigo Barnett. As New York Times reports, the 60-year-old stood outside the building with his shirt ripped open and bragged about the fact that he had been in Pelosi's office.
In photographs that were initially taken by Getty, and have now become viral on social media, Barnett can be seen holding a crumpled envelope which has Pelosi's name on it. He took it from her office. However, he has insisted that he did not steal it for he left a quarter on her desk in exchange.
In Photos: Trump Supporters Broke Windows, But Stayed Inside Rope Dividers at US Capitol Hill
Viral photos also show that Barnett left a message for Pelosi on her desk. On a notepad, he wrote, "We will not back down."
According to reports, he was caught when police barged in with pepper spray.
The terrorist that broke into Nancy Pelosi’s office and the note he left... pic.twitter.com/TpE5xDphI3
— SheaButtaBaby (@Solo_Kalin) January 6, 2021
They are now taking selfies in Nancy Pelosi's office pic.twitter.com/cJikvdhvID
— Storm the Facemask lovin Gryphon (@StormGryphon) January 6, 2021
Pelosi's office. Wow. pic.twitter.com/7jbI4u6Tjh
— Andrew Potter (@AndrewPotterNZ) January 6, 2021
Rioters have breached Nancy Pelosi's office. Her location is unknown at this time.They left a message saying they won't back down. pic.twitter.com/QCvahHUJXt
— David Hookstead (@dhookstead) January 6, 2021
THIS DUDE IS JUST STRAIGHT UP CHILLIN IN PELOSI’S OFFICE. THIS CANT BE REAL. WE ARE LIVING IN AN ACTUAL FEATURE FILM. pic.twitter.com/NIqItFlo5d
— jess elizabeth (@jslzbth) January 6, 2021
The man photographed inside Rep. Nancy Pelosi’s office during protests in D.C. is from Northwest #Arkansas.The Benton County Republicans, identified the man as Richard Barnett w/@KNWAFOX24. He showed the envelope he took from her office. (Photos via @AllMattNYT/ Getty) #ARnews pic.twitter.com/0qNG8y2OHT
— Alexis Wainwright (@AWainwrightTV) January 6, 2021
Inside Pelosi's office (speaker of the house) pic.twitter.com/1CnQfbK7Da
— SimmerErin (@erin_simmer) January 6, 2021
This is inside Pelosi's office. (Photographer is Saul Loeb, via Getty.) pic.twitter.com/oqoOjiBqgh
— Ed Tubb (@EdTubb) January 6, 2021
That’s Richard “Bigo” Barnett, 60, from Gravette, Ak., showing off the personalized envelope he took from Speaker Pelosi’s office. He insisted he didn’t steal it — “I left a quarter on her desk.” pic.twitter.com/gWJUWCDMj1 pic.twitter.com/IzP9nJvpeT pic.twitter.com/tqMFXzS1QC
— 💫 ₮ⱧɆ_Ɽ₳VɆ₦ 💫 (@The_Raven42) January 6, 2021
The man has been identified as a Trump supporter, according to reports. In November 2020, he had been interviewed at a pro-Trump rally by local channel KNWA where he had also backed Trump's many claims of voter fraud in the US Elections.
DC Mayor Muriel Bowser announced she is extending the public emergency to 15 days, as a result of rioters overtaking the US Capitol building earlier today. This will take the emergency declaration until the day after President-elect Joe Biden's inauguration.