A Florida man described by prosecutors as one of the most violent rioters who attacked the U.S. Capitol was sentenced on Wednesday to five years in prison, court records show.

Kenneth Bonawitz, a member of the far-right Proud Boys extremist group’s Miami chapter, assaulted at least six police officers as he stormed the Capitol with a mob of Donald Trump supporters on Jan. 6, 2021. He grabbed one of the officers in a chokehold and injured another so severely that the officer had to retire, according to federal prosecutors.

Bonawitz, 58, of Pompano Beach, Florida, carried an eight-inch knife in a sheath on his hip. Police seized the knife from him in between his barrage of attacks on officers.

  • Deceptichum
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    6 months ago

    Imagine if that was a black teenager with a small amount of weed innocently walking down a street; Probably be looking at life.

  • Chainweasel
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    266 months ago

    It wasn’t a riot, they’re not “rioters” they’re insurrectionists.

    • Sybil
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      36 months ago

      they don’t have a clue who Luigi Galleani is. they’re worse: they’re patriots.

    • Deceptichum
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      -156 months ago

      Well at least something good came out of it I suppose. Silver linings and all that.

      • @[email protected]
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        206 months ago

        Those were the people heroically defending the Capitol with zero backup. They succeeded, and Mike Pence was not hung from the gallows. Nancy Pelosi and AOC both survived the murderous intentions of the insurrectionists, as did every single elected leader thanks to their efforts.

        The Capitol Police protected everyone at great cost. Maybe show some respect.

        • Deceptichum
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          -116 months ago

          The only cops I respect are the ones who were killed by other cops for trying to expose them.

          • @stembolts
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            6 months ago

            Original comment deleted.

            (My reading comprehension failed me and my reply missed the context. I agree with the sentiment of respecting police officers who were murdered by other officers for taking actions that would bring police corruption to light.)

              • @stembolts
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                36 months ago

                My comment (now removed) was stupid. Must have been distracted.

              • @stembolts
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                6 months ago

                Must have been brain-broken when I originally read their post. I misunderstood their comment. Removed my original post and replaced with a correction.

    • @[email protected]
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      46 months ago

      Angry. Police beat people all the time and then charge the victim with assaulting a police officer. Only getting 5 years for actually assaulting multiple cops is a joke.

  • HACKthePRISONS
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    -586 months ago

    I wish the left had shown up that day. imagine committed anarchists roaming the halls of power calling for Mike pence and pelosi.

    and if the feds ever actually brought them up on charges, it would have been j20 all over again: multi-million dollar settlements paid to the arrestees.

    the right is bad at insurrection and it shows.

    they should be embarrassed.

    • partial_accumen
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      476 months ago

      I wish the left had shown up that day. imagine committed anarchists roaming the halls of power calling for Mike pence and pelosi.

      And yet anarchists weren’t there and didn’t try to violently overthrow the lawful election of the President. Huh, just when I didn’t realize I could think less of MAGA people you point out that anarchists, a group by definition committed to non-recognition of authority, are more lawful and respectful of society that MAGA people.

      • HACKthePRISONS
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        -276 months ago

        to fight the trumpets. I was shouting “wrong side!” as they were breaking into the capitol building.

        I had the day off work between jobs, and I had a pitcher of beer poured and a charcuterie. that was the best part

        on the whole, very disappointing.

    • Neato
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      136 months ago

      They’d be traitors, just the same.

      That’s the thing with all flavors of treason: insurrection, rebellion, revolution, civil war, etc. If you don’t win, you’re a traitor.

      And the vast majority of Americans don’t want “leftist” anarchists to overthrow the government. You can see what happens when people overthrow their governments by watching abroad.

      • Deceptichum
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        36 months ago

        Yeah, I saw it happen once in 1776 and it led to a clusterfuck of a country.

      • Sybil
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        -76 months ago

        I don’t know why you would put leftist in scare quotes.

        look up the father of anarchism proudhon. read about the second internationale. the Spanish revolution. anarchism is leftist. anything purporting to be anarchism that is not on the left is neither.

        • Neato
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          86 months ago

          Anarchism might be. But overthrowing a democratically elected government in spite of the population’s desires isn’t progressive. That’s fascist. So get out of here with your treason.

          • Sybil
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            -46 months ago

            So get out of here with your treason.

            this brings to mind one of the most formative songs of my youth:

            You watched in awe at the red,
            White, and blue on the fourth of july.
            While those fireworks were exploding,
            I was burning that fucker
            And stringing my black flag high,
            Eating the peanuts
            That the parties have tossed you
            In the back seat of your father's new Ford.
            You believe in the ballot,
            Believe in reform.
            You have faith in the elephant and jackass,
            And to you, solidarity's a four-letter word.
            We're all hypocrites,
            But you're a patriot.
            You thought I was only joking
            When I screamed "Kill Whitey!"
            At the top of my lungs
            At the cops in their cars
            And the men in their suits.
            No, I won't take your hand
            And marry the State.
            
          • Sybil
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            -46 months ago

            a democratically elected government

            most people didn’t vote for any of the people in government

          • Sybil
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            -56 months ago

            But overthrowing a democratically elected government in spite of the population’s desires isn’t progressive. That’s fascist.

            fascism is right wing. leftist anarchist overthrowing any government is just leftist anarchists doing leftist anarchism.

        • @[email protected]
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          06 months ago

          Still bitter that right wingers stole the word libertarian from us, but they can keep it now. It’s been too thoroughly poisoned

      • HACKthePRISONS
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        -186 months ago

        >They’d be traitors, just the same.

        is that what you thought about the j20 arrestees?

        the left wants the liberation of all people.

        liberals only want liberation so long as it doesn’t interfere with profitability.