BIRDSBORO, PA – Anthony Nolf, a 37-year-old resident of Birdsboro, Pennsylvania, entered a guilty plea to a civil disorder charge in connection to his involvement in the U.S. Capitol breach on January 6, 2021, which interrupted a joint Congressional session aimed at verifying the 2020 presidential election electoral votes.
Nolf admitted to the felony count before U.S. District Judge Beryl A. Howell in the District of Columbia, with a sentencing hearing set for January 19, 2024.
Court records reveal that on the said date, Nolf took part in the “Stop the Steal” rally held at the Ellipse and later headed to the Capitol to voice his displeasure with the election results. Dressed in a camouflage hat adorned with “Trump 2020” lettering, a gray hoodie, blue jeans, and sporadically a camouflage gator, Nolf made his way to the West Plaza where he encountered metal bike rack barriers. He was involved in dismantling the barriers by passing them along as a co-defendant handed them to him.
Nolf later moved to the Lower West Terrace Tunnel, a scene of violent clashes between rioters and law enforcement officers. Despite witnessing assaults on officers, Nolf and others entered the Tunnel around 4:17 p.m.
Inside the Tunnel, Nolf joined other rioters in a coordinated push against the police line, a tactic described as “heave-ho.” As he moved further into the Tunnel, Nolf used his body to exert pressure on the rioters ahead of him, aiming to overpower the officers blocking the Tunnel. Footage captured Nolf smiling shortly after. However, by 4:21 p.m., officers managed to drive out the rioters, including Nolf, from the Tunnel.
The FBI apprehended Nolf in Pennsylvania on April 5, 2023, marking an advancement in the ongoing investigations and legal proceedings related to the notorious January 6 events.