Florida man arrested and charged for assaulting police officer during Capitol riot
PANAMA, FLORIDA: A Florida man who chanted "Who's house?! Our house" while participating in the January 6 riot at the US Capitol has been arrested and charged with assaulting a Capitol Police officer who was attacked by a mob of rioters, according to a press release from the Department of Justice US Attorney’s Office District of Columbia.
Marcus Clint Martin, 32, of Blountstown, Florida, was arrested on Monday, 31 July in Panama City, Florida, after being identified in several videos and images from the riot. The Florida man is accused of removing metal barricades, shoving and pushing officers, and piling on top of a downed officer along with other rioters. According to the statement, mentioned in the arrest warrant from the justice department, Martin appears to have travelled from Florida to Washington DC to participate in the riots, the documents also showed several photos of participating in the riots.
'Who's house?! Our house'
The statement further reveals Witness 1 who had known Martin for approximately three years, was able to identify Martin from a still image taken from a video depicting him at the Capitol Building. He mentioned Martin taking a few days off at the beginning of 2021. The witness said he did not know what he did during the time.
The press release also reported by Sierra Sun-Times that the Florida man, Martin, was seen on a scaffolding erected for the inauguration, beating on his chest and chanting, "Who's house?! Our house". He then moved to the west front of the Capitol, where he fought with multiple officers trying to protect the building and the lawmakers inside. Martin allegedly prevented officers from assisting an injured rioter and then joined a group of others who attacked a Capitol Police officer who was pushed over by the crowd.
Martin, as per the US Attorney's office, used his shoulder to shove away officers who tried to help the downed officer and also attempted to grab a metal barricade in front of a line of Metropolitan Police officers.
Marcus Clint Martin Pleaded guilty on Monday
The Florida man is charged with felony offences of civil disorder and assaulting, resisting, or impeding certain officers, as well as misdemeanour offences of entering and remaining in a restricted building or grounds, disorderly and disruptive conduct in a restricted building or grounds, and engaging in physical violence in a restricted building or grounds.
He is expected to make his initial appearance in the Northern District of Florida. The case as per the news release is being prosecuted by the Department of Justice National Security Division’s Counterterrorism Section. To prosecute Martin, valuable assistance was provided by the US Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Florida and the US Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Florida.
The case is being investigated by the FBI’s Tampa and Washington Field Offices. Valuable assistance was provided by the FBI’s Jacksonville Field Office, US Capitol Police, and the Metropolitan Police Department. Martin is one of more than 1,069 individuals who have been arrested in nearly all 50 states for crimes related to the breach of the US Capitol, including more than 350 individuals charged with assaulting or impeding law enforcement. The investigation is ongoing.