Following an attempted coup in the U.S. Capitol when pro-Trump extremists forced their way into the chambers prompting lockdowns and evacuations, right-wing media figures and activists immediately pivoted to baselessly blaming “antifa” for the riot instead. Despite the rioters holding countless pro-Trump flags, conservative figures suggested there were “antifa thugs in the mix” who were “dressed up as Trump supporters.” Some went as far as to say this was a “staged event,” that they had “indisputable photographic evidence of antifa,” and a caller to C-SPAN told the channel's viewers that “antifa” was involved. 

Conservative media figures baselessly claim “antifa members” attacked the Capitol 

Pro-Trump lawyer Lin Wood: Indisputable photographic evidence that antifa violently broke into Congress today to inflict harm & do damage. NOT @realDonaldTrump supporters. [Twitter, 1/6/21] (Wood's tweet includes a photo of what appears to be well-known neo-Nazi Matthew Heimbach. The person called out by Wood as allegedly “antifa” noted on Facebook that he is not “a member of antifa” and “was not in DC today.”)

The Daily Wire’s Candace Owens: Call it a hunch, but my guess is there are still ANTIFA thugs in the mix. [Twitter, 1/6/21]

The Rush Limbaugh Show producer Bo Snerdley: NO TO VIOLENCE And there are reports that Antifa has infiltrated this. [Twitter, 1/6/21]

Fox News’ Mark Levin: We don’t know who these people are. That will have to be determined. [Twitter, 1/6/21]

Conservative media figure Chuck Woolery: Media is assuming that all these violent protesters are Trump supporters. Some on social media are saying they are antifa, I don't know until proved otherwise. [Twitter, 1/6/21]

QAnon influencer account We The Inevitable: Trump supporters don’t wear mostly black, with masks, and goggles. That’s ANTlFA dress. And ANTlFA behavior. [Twitter, 1/6/21] 

Ann Coulter: No one can mistake the guy with that tattoo. This group, especially the short one, looks like antifa. [Twitter, 1/6/21]

Conservative commentator Nick Adams: These are probably Antifa members dressed up as Trump Supporters. [Twitter, 1/6/21]

Anti-Muslism bigot Brigitte Gabriel: The man in yellow has a communist hammer and sickle tattoo on his hand those are NOT Trump supporters! [Twitter, 1/6/21]

Right-wing celebrity Kevin Sorbo: ANTIFA led the charge into the capitol building dressed as Trump supporters. [Twitter, 1/6/21]

Evangelical radio host Bryan Fischer: Before we can draw any conclusions, we need to know if any of the violent protestors were Antifa or BLM infiltrators. [Twitter, 1/6/21]

Breitbart editor John Nolte: This mostly peaceful protest is being taken out of context by what looks like outside agitators. [Twitter, 1/6/21]

Nolte: If this was Antifa (and it might be), the media and Dems would be cool with it. Just like they have been cool with it for 10 years. They built this. These are their rules. They have no moral authority. Sadly Inevitable. [Twitter, 1/6/21]

Conservative radio host Andrew Wilkow: The media is grotesque. All of a sudden they [are] reacting with false horror. Now they have the courage to use words like “violence” “anarchy” and “insurrection” have they even checked to see if all of this is a staged event by #Antifa? [Twitter, 1/6/21]

Wilkow: GOD help us if this violence at the Capitol is being caused by #Antifa agitators posing as #DonaldTrump supporters. [Twitter, 1/6/21]

Right-wing media figure Kyle Becker: “There were several *INFILTRATIONS* from Antifa dressed up as MAGA. I believe that is who has *STORMED* the Capitol.” (Becker was suspended from conservative media outlet IJR for an “alt-right"-based conspiracy theory in 2017.) [Twitter, 1/6/21]

Conservative radio host Todd Starnes: THESE ARE NOT TRUMP SUPPORTERS. [Twitter, 1/6/21]

Pro-Trump lawyer Rogan O’Handley: Democrats would *never* cause violence at Trump rallies to make the movement look bad in the media Nope, Dems always play fair and square, especially when they’re stealing a Presidential election [Twitter, 1/6/21]

Far-right reporter Paul Sperry: BREAKING: Former FBI agent on the ground at U.S. Capitol just texted me and confirmed that at least 1 “bus load” of Antifa thugs infiltrated peaceful Trump demonstrators as part of a false Trump flag ops. [Twitter, 1/6/21]

Fox’s Sean Hannity suggested on his radio show that “groups like antifa” might have been involved: “Then we had the reports that groups like antifa, other radical groups -- I don't know the names of all of them -- that they were there to cause trouble.” [The Sean Hannity Show, 1/6/21] 

Conservative radio host Todd Herman, guest hosting for Rush Limbaugh: “In D.C., I have friends back there and they’re filming, and I'm looking at people who I can tell you through learned experience, these are antifa agitators. Now I am not saying there are not Trump people who may have caused a problem.” [The Rush Limbaugh Show, 1/6/21]

Newsmax correspondent Emerald Robinson: “I am hearing from some people on the ground that there is a question of -- if antifa has infiltrated the Trump rally goers and are fomenting some kind of unrest.” Anchor Tom Basile responded by saying, “That has happened before. I think that’s very important to -- very important to note.” [Newsmax, American Agenda, 1/6/21]

MyPillow founder and ardent Trump supporter Mike Lindell: “There were probably some undercover antifa that dressed as Trump people.” [Newsmax, The Chris Salcedo Show, 1/6/21]