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Did Chuck Norris take part in the Capitol riots? Actor's manager slams conspiracy theories

A Twitter user shared a photo of what appeared to be Chuck Norris at the insurrection alongside a man called Matt Bledsoe, who was charged with domestic assault last year

On Monday, January 11, a Twitter user shared a photo of what appeared to be Chuck Norris, American action star and martial artist of the past, at the insurrection that took place at the Capitol building in Washington DC last week. The Twitter user wrote, sharing the photo: “Wait, so are we just not going to mention the fact that Chuck Norris was at the MAGA insurrection?” They added, sharing a video, “Here’s the full Instagram story from Matt Bledsoe.”

Incidentally, as per a news report, in November 2020, Bledsoe was charged with domestic assault after kicking in the front door of his home, chasing his wife, picking her up by her throat, and slamming her onto the floor.

In the deadly insurrection -- many including Republican party members have called it a coup attempt -- a Capitol Police officer who was struck in the head with a fire extinguisher died. Among the dead was also a rioter who was shot by a police officer. Three others died as a result of “medical emergencies” on the Capitol grounds, according to the authorities. According to the Capitol Police, more than 50 officers from the department and Metropolitan Police Department sustained injuries, while several of them were "hospitalized with serious injuries."

The rioters vandalized many parts of the building. They also engaged in looting. And among the many present were also celebrities like indie musicians Ariel Pink and John Maus and filmmaker Alex Lee Moyer of ‘TFW No GF’ fame. 

So, was Chuck Norris present there? 

While the picture shared by Bledsoe that was reshared by many on Twitter bears a striking resemblance with the ‘Walker, Texas Ranger’ star, his reps say otherwise. Norris' manager told The Hollywood Reporter that not only was it not the actor in the picture, but he was also nowhere near D.C. at the time. 

"This is not Chuck Norris and is a wanna be look-alike, although Chuck is much more handsome," Norris’ manager Erik Kritzer said. "Chuck remains on his ranch in Texas where he has been with his family."

Chuck’s politics

Norris may not have been present at the ‘Stop the Steal’ rally that turned violent. But his politics is firmly on the conservative end of the political spectrum. In 2016, he announced his support for President Donald Trump. He’s a second amendment rights supporter who is now a spokesperson for Glock, the gun company. 

And, he’s a columnist on the far-right website WorldNetDaily, a portal that has been known to publish misinformation and conspiracy theories. In a January 11 column for the same portal, Norris wrote about the insurrection. 

He said, “Our founders secured our rights in the First Amendment for even vehement dissent and the use of what many today would call hate speech, which the U.S. Supreme court again affirmed just a few years ago. But our founders did not condone or endorse violent or destructive dissent until of course, they realized that separation and war with the Crown was the only way forward and inevitable -- a sentiment Thomas Jefferson even echoed for the preservation of our own republic in the latter half of the Declaration of Independence.”