Conservative influencer Isabella DeLuca has been arrested over her part in the January 6 Capitol riot – including stealing a table from the government building.
The firebrand Donald Trump fan was detained Friday in Irvine, California on five charges including theft of government property.
FBI papers say that DeLuca was caught on camera ‘removing, and aiding and abetting other rioters in removing, a table’ from a Capitol office known as ST-2M before ‘passing it to rioters outside through another broken window’.
The table ‘was subsequently used to assault law enforcement officers guarding the Lower West Terrace Tunnel’ according to the record.
FBI agents were tipped off about DeLuca’s involvement in the riot three days later and they interviewed her on January 21, the day after Joe Biden became president.
Conservative influencer Isabella DeLuca has been arrested over her part in the January 6 Capitol riot – including stealing a table from the government building
FBI papers say that DeLuca was caught on camera ‘removing, and aiding and abetting other rioters in removing, a table’ from a Capitol office known as ST-2M before ‘passing it to rioters outside through another broken window’
The tipster told agents that DeLuca had posted about being in the Capitol building on social media but later deleted the post.
In her telephone interview, DeLuca claimed that she went to the Capitol with some friends, but did not enter the building, according to FBI records.
Her social media records showed that she took an Amtrak train from New York’s Penn station to DC in order to join the riot.
The train broke down near Baltimore, Maryland, and DeLuca posted an Instagram story appealing to her followers for ‘a ride to DC’.
She eventually hitched a lift in the early hours of January 5 in time for the protest.
At 2.55pm on January 6, she wrote on Twitter: ‘Fight back or let politicians steal and election? Fight back!’
Surveillance footage from the Capitol shows DeLuca inside and outside the Capitol building that afternoon.
Her face is covered by a neck gaiter in some shots – but FBI agents said they have identified the person as DeLuca.
She can be seen standing on a ledge appearing to help rioters move a table from the office.
The firebrand Donald Trump fan was detained Friday in Irvine, California on five charges including theft of government property
FBI agents were tipped off about DeLuca’s involvement in the riot three days later and they interviewed her on January 21, the day after Joe Biden became president
The tipster told agents that DeLuca had posted about being in the Capitol building on social media but later deleted the post
In her telephone interview, DeLuca claimed that she went to the Capitol with some friends, but did not enter the building, according to FBI records
‘The table legs were broken off at some point during the melee,’ the FBI document reads.
Another rioter named in court records as Timothy Desjardins can be seen picking up one of the table legs and using it ‘to assault law enforcement officers’.
Meanwhile, another protester picked up the table top and launched it at officers.
Just before 6pm, DeLuca messaged friends on Instagram saying ‘it’s insanity here’ and ‘I got maced and had a sound bomb go off right next to me’.
In the early hours of January 7, someone messaged DeLuca on Instagram saying: ‘I’m wondering why you support the breaking into the Capitol’.
She replied: ‘According to the constitution it’s our house.’
On January 8 she published more comments linking herself to the riot.
‘I got maced pretty bad about three times, and on top of that it was extremely windy, so it was blowing everywhere,’ DeLuca wrote on an Instagram post.
‘While I do believe some people were placed there to cause chaos I don’t believe that people were faking being maced.
‘Even if they were not directly hit, the wind was carrying it and affecting everyone.’
‘I used milk to get the mace/tear gas out of my eyes,’ she added. ‘I’ve heard for some people holding onions near their eyes and nose can protect them from the tear gas. I’m not 100% sure tbh.’
On January 14 she wrote: ‘I was there on Jan. 6. I have mixed feelings. People went to the Capitol building because that’s Our House and that’s where we go to take our grievances.
‘People feel, as do I that an election was stolen from them and it was allowed.’
The next day, DeLuca wrote on Instagram that she wanted Trump to declare martial law and overturn the election.
‘If Trump declares martial law in 7 states, his campaign allies could take control of the state’s ballots & overturn the results of the election in Trump’s favor. Which would be ideal,’ she wrote.
DeLuca is charged with theft of government property and aiding and abetting theft of government property; entering or remaining in restricting buildings or grounds; and disorderly and disruptive conduct in a restricted building or grounds.
She is also accused of disorderly or disruptive conduct in the Capitol building; and parading, demonstrating, or picketing in a Capitol building.
As her arrest papers were unsealed Monday, she received messages of support on X, including people saying they were ‘praying’ for her.
The comments came in response to her tweet saying: ‘The Lord is my light and my salvation; whom shall I fear?’
More than 1,300 people have been arrested in connection with the January 6 riot at the Capitol, with 950 convictions so far.
Around 500 people have been handed jail time, ranging from a few days to 22 years in federal prison.