On January 3, three days before the attack on the Capitol, Enrique Tarrio, the leader of the far-right organization known as the Proud Boys, shared a cryptic post on the Telegram messaging app: “And if are we invading him? “
The message was sent to his more than 7,000 followers on the app, with the first response saying “January 6 is D-Day in America.”
The Wall Street Journal reviewed thousands of posts by Proud Boys and its members on Parler, Telegram and Gab, the social media platforms where supporters gathered online after being banned mainly on Facebook and Twitter. The messages show that the group repeatedly invoked President Trump’s rhetoric in the weeks leading up to the Jan. 6 protest as they grew momentum toward what turned into a violent confrontation.
Investigators have said they study online messages like these as they try to determine the planning and intent of those involved in the attack on the Capitol.
The Journal’s review, which included deleted publications that have been archived by researchers, suggests that the Proud Boys saw Trump’s messages as a call to action.