Black Lives Matter Activist Charged in Capitol Riot Still Active on Twitter
Social media giant purges Trump and conservative accounts but allows leftists to roam free
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A far-left Black Lives Matter activist, who was arrested and charged over his role in inciting the recent riot at the U.S. Capitol building, is still active on Twitter, despite the platform banning President Donald Trump over similar allegations.
26-year-old John Sullivan, a Utah-based BLM organizer and the founder of radical-left group Insurgence USA, was charged after federal investigators obtained videos showing him urging protesters to become violent and destroy property while he was inside the Capitol.
Sullivan is now the subject of a criminal complaint in connection with his alleged role in instigating the violence that left five people dead, according to the Department of Justice DOJ.
As Neon Nettle previously reported, Sullivan was already placed in the center of the riots after he uploaded videos of the events to social media as they unfolded.
The activist claimed he was just there to "document" the violence but admitted he was standing near Air Force veteran Ashli Babbitt when she was shot and killed in the Capitol after videos appear to show him on the scene.
In video footage he provided to the FBI Sullivan can allegedly be heard egging on protesters, according to a federal criminal complaint.
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Inside the building, he told rioters that "We got to get this s--- burned," and "it’s our house m------------," according to an affidavit signed by FBI Special Agent Matthew Foulger.
He faces federal charges of civil disorder, entering a restricted building, and violent entry or disorderly conduct.
As protesters climbed over a wall near the Capitol entrance, he allegedly exclaimed in the video, "You guys are f------ savage. Let’s go!"
"Let’s go! This s--- is ours! F-- yeah! I can’t believe this is reality."
"We accomplished this s---," he said at another point.
"We did this together. F--- yeah! We are all a part of this history."
Sullivan is accused of taking part and encouraging rioters as they swept through the building.
He allegedly wore a gas mask and had a knife at the time of the siege, court papers show.
The mayhem left at least five people dead, including Babbitt, whose death Sullivan filmed, and a Capitol Police officer.
Sullivan faces federal charges of civil disorder, entering a restricted building, and violent entry or disorderly conduct, but was released without bail over the weekend.
While Sullivan is required by law to stay off social media, surrender his passport, and remain on house arrest, his social media accounts remain active and accessible.
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Twitter sparked major controversy earlier this month with its decision to ban President Trump from its platform, citing a risk of "further incitement" following the violence that overtook Capitol Hill.
The tech giant has come under fire, however, for the glaring exceptions they appear to have made for some of the world's most hateful and dangerous voices, notably Iran's supreme leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, and those belonging to China's Communist Party.
Sullivan's latest Twitter posts are focused almost exclusively on the aftermath of the Capitol chaos, with a recent one encouraging his 3,224 followers to "wreak some havoc."
The activist previously told Fox News that he was at the Capitol siege only to "document" the events, and said he frequently attends and films protests.
Sullivan has denied ties to Antifa, or "anti-fascists," in recent interviews.
His group Insurgence USA, however, had advertised an event called "Kick These Fascists out of DC" on Wednesday around the same time as a pro-Trump rally near the National Mall that preceded the Capitol riot.
Twitter and YouTube have yet to comment on their lack of action against left-wing extremists.
