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Blake, Wm. Ephialtes and Two Other Titans. 1824.

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On the third anniversary of the U.S. Capitol riot on January 6, 2021, the DOJ emphasized that its probe will now extend beyond those who entered the Capitol, targeting Americans who were near the area but never entered the building.

During a press briefing, DC U.S. Attorney Matthew Graves said: “We have used our prosecutorial discretion to primarily focus on those who entered the building or those who engaged in violent or corrupt conduct on Capitol grounds. But, if a person knowingly entered the restricted area without authorization, they had already committed a federal crime. Make no mistake, thousands of people occupied an area that they were not authorized to be present in the first place.”

As of the end of 2023, January 6 defendants have received a combined 847 years in prison. The most common charges have included entering or remaining in a restricted federal building or grounds, obstructing an official proceeding, assaulting or impeding police officers, and destruction or theft of government property.