The FBI arrested Vancouver resident Marc Anthony Bru on Tuesday for his alleged involvement in the Jan. 6 insurrection at the U.S. Capitol in Washington, D.C.
Bru is charged with five counts, including violent entry and disorderly conduct on Capitol grounds, obstruction of justice/Congress, and obstruction of law enforcement during civil disorder.
According to an affidavit, an anonymous tipster told the FBI in early February that Bru had planned to travel to D.C. on Jan. 6 to “witness history in the making,” telling the tipster, “you are about to see. It’s going to be big.”
Security camera footage from the U.S. Capitol Police appears to show Marc Anthony Bru inside the capitol on Jan. 6, according to an FBI affidavit.
Photo courtesy of U.S. Attorney
The affidavit claims a second individual the FBI interviewed saw Facebook videos posted to Bru’s account that showed him at the Capitol. The FBI also relied on open source intelligence from an unlikely place: the popular antifascist Twitter account PNW Resistance known, in part, for scouring videos of right wing demonstrations and identifying the individuals.
“It appears the account is associated with the anti-fascist movement and purports to attempt to publicly identify individuals who are associated with or are members of certain groups,” the affidavit reads. “I am not aware of the credibility or lack thereof of the information posted on the account. Regardless, the following photographs were located on this website.”
Marc Anthony Bru (40), from Vancouver, WA (Hazel Dell Area) is a member of a @splcenter designated group Proud Boys. pic.twitter.com/ivOm8fqDPn
— PNW Resistance (@PNWResistance) May 5, 2020
The affidavit then includes some of the evidence collected by PNW Resistance and explains how the agent was able to verify the information.
Of the many photographs included in the affidavit, some from his social media show Bru pointing a handgun at the camera and flashing the “ok” sign, a hand sign popular among white nationalists and far right groups. Others purport to show Bru, donning goggles and a neck gaiter, advancing toward police officers in front of the Capitol on Jan. 6 as they are trying to disperse the crowd. Bru appears to have a radio clipped on the inside of his sweatshirt. Security camera footage provided by the U.S. Capitol Police appears to show Bru before and after he allegedly entered the Senate chamber.
Security camera footage from the U.S. Capitol Police appears to show Marc Anthony Bru wearing a radio tucked inside his sweatshirt during the insurrection, according to an FBI affidavit.
Photo courtesy of U.S. Attorney
The affidavit also alleges Bru’s cellphone “was identified as having utilized a cell site consistent with providing service to the geographic area that includes the interior of the U.S. Capitol building.”
A video from January 2020 shows known members of the Proud Boys attacking Bru during an initiation ceremony into the far right group, which prosecutors say played a central role in the Jan. 6 insurrection.
In that video, Bru is shirtless and holding the “ok” sign, says he is “a proud western chauvinist” and refuses “to apologize for creating the modern world.” A number of people then punch him while he struggles to recite the names of five breakfast cereals.
OPB reporters have also identified Bru in videos and photos taken at the 2019 May Day Proud Boy rally in Portland, which later devolved into a street brawl in front of Cider Riot, a local bar. A few months later, Bru was at an Aug. 17 Proud Boys rally in Portland.
Bru is the fourth person with a history of attending violent protests in Oregon to be arrested for participating in the insurrection. Jonathanpeter and Matthew Klein were arrested March 24. Richard Lee Harris was taken into custody March 18.
Bru was released from custody Wednesday after a court hearing, according to the Oregonian/OregonLive. He was ordered to wear a GPS monitoring system while he awaits trial.
