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‘Free the fox’: Internet backs parody account after capture of animal that bit 5 people and 1 CONGRESSMAN

After Capitol Police announce the capture of a fox, a parody account was quickly set up and gained widespread support for animal's release

Sometimes, the US Capitol can be a dangerous place to be. On January 6, 2021, Congress members came under attack from a group of Trump supporters. On April 5, 2022, it was a fox that had been roaming the grounds, and bitten at least six people, including one Congressman. The fox was quickly captured but is now gaining widespread support online thanks to a hilarious parody account. 

The US Capitol Police have had to be on high alert ever since the insurrection, as the area has quickly become a key target for many. Days after the insurrection, Guy Berry was arrested near the complex after being found armed with a firearm. Then in April 2021, one knife-wielding man rammed his car into Capitol police officers, killing one before he was killed. The failed trucker 'Freedom Convoy' was also supposed to make an appearance at the complex in early March, but flamed out before that happened.

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On April 5 though, police had an entirely different issue to deal with, one that required the help of DC Animal Control. The police eventually managed to capture the wild fox, but not before it had done enough damage to become something of a social media celebrity, quickly gaining popularity online. 

DC fox bites Congressman, captured

The unnamed "aggressive fox" was spotted by many people in and around the US Capitol complex, with a few even receiving a very up-close and personal visit. Amongst them was Rep. Ami Bera, a Democrat from California. Rep. Bera was one of the six people bitten by the fox on April 4. "I felt something lunge, totally unprovoked, right at the back of my leg. I'm glad I had my long umbrella with me because then it was just holding it off," he told CNN. 

While the bite didn't reportedly break Bera's skin, he still went to Walter Reed Hospital later that day and received seven shots, and began a five-course rabies shot regimen. It's unclear who the other five victims of the fox were, but USCP said that one person was bitten near the Botanic Garden and another by the foundation of the Capitol on the House side. In an email, USCP said "There are possibly several fox dens on Capitol Grounds. Animal Control is currently on the grounds seeking to trap and relocate any foxes they find."

Hours later, USCP announced the capture of the fox on Twitter, tweeting, "#BREAKING: Captured" along with images of the animal. That quickly led to the creation of a parody account for the fox, with the username @thecapitolfox. The account instantly began going viral, after posting a series of tweets mocking its capture, such as "You’ll never take me alive!" and even putting out an "official statement."

'I stand with the Capitol Fox'

The tweets quickly garnered widespread support from other Twitter users. "Free the fox or we do another “spontaneous tour of the Capitol”," one person mocked. Another tweeted, "Biden brings another bad dog into the WH but a hard working fox can’t even build a life at the Capitol Building." Rep. Chuy Garcia tweeted, "I stand with the Capitol Fox. All animals should be allowed to live their best lives. Let it be free."

"We need to start a go fund me for this poor misaligned animal," one person responded. Another jokingly said, "WHAT DOES THE FOX SAY???— about getting it’s freedoms removed by force." One person simply replied, "Fox Lives Matter!"

Of course, there were also plenty of jokes targeted toward Fox News viewers and Trump supporters in general. In a matter of hours, the parody account has generated over 3,000 followers, and is only likely to grow as news continues to build around Capitol's latest "fox problem".