A federal judge has ordered a Kentucky man who allegedly stormed the U.S. Capitol earlier this month not to make any comments about the breach or the U.S. government online.
The Lexington Herald-Leader reported that “Damon Michael Beckley, who was arrested by the FBI in Cub Run last week, was released on a conditional bond, which barred him from using the internet to post about the rally or ‘the matters related to the U.S. government,’ according to court records.” The outlet also reported Beckley “was also prohibited from attending any rallies, protests or demonstration” and must be monitored by GPS.
Cub Run is about 80 miles south of Louisville.
The order, which was filed on Wednesday and signed by Judge H. Brent Brennenstuhl, additionally bans Beckley from entering all state or federal properties “except for court of vehicular registration purposes,” the report said.
According to the criminal complaint against Beckley, he was charged with unlawful entry of a restricted building and disorderly conduct on Capitol grounds. In an affidavit, an FBI agent cited video evidence captured during the riot at the U.S. Capitol on January 6 that shows a man “who self identifies” as Beckley.
“Vice President Pence, my name is Damon Michael Beckley, and I do not appreciate one bit this situation you caused here, sir!” the man in the video said. “We’re not putting up with this tyrannical rule. If we got to come back here and start a revolution and take all of these traitors out, which is what should be done, then we will.”
NEWS ALERT: We've learned this man, who entered the Capitol and gave this interview during the #CapitolRiot, is from Louisville. His name is Damon Beckley. Why he tells me he's deleted his Facebook and removed the SIM card from his phone… on @WDRBNews at 11PM. pic.twitter.com/qyQwfKGaGo
— Chad K. Mills (@ChadKMills) January 15, 2021
After the video went viral, WDRB News, a FOX affiliate in Louisville, interviewed Beckley on January 14, two days before he was taken into federal custody. The outlet reported that he “expressed regret” for what happened and had gone into hiding, adding that he had “deleted Facebook and removed the SIM card from his phone out of fear the FBI could soon arrest him.”
According to WDRB, “a calmer Beckley said he meant retribution should happen at the ballot box,” “said he didn’t hit anyone or tear anything up inside the Capitol,” and “claimed he only went inside…to check on a friend.”
The outlet provided more background on Beckley:
WDRB News first met Beckley at a Jan. 2 protest outside U.S. Sen. Mitch McConnell’s Louisville home. There, he identified himself as the founder of a group called DC Under Siege, which business records filed with the Kentucky Secretary of State’s office show was registered on Dec. 10, 2020.
Outside McConnell’s home, Beckley told the crowd he’d be in Washington on Jan. 6 to protest “corrupt” politicians who had counted the votes to make Joe Biden president.
“They’re not going to change their corruption just because we’re out here hollering about it,” he said, in part. “We’re going to have to go in there and pull these people out, because they’re not just going to leave, OK.”
Beckley is scheduled to appear in D.C. federal court on Wednesday.
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