A video has circulated online that, according to social media users, shows a member of the left-wing anti-fascist movement, Antifa, that he was paid to join the protests in the US capital. This is false. The man who posted the original video said the video was intended as a joke.
In the video (here) the man says that he was paid to protest, although he does not mention Antifa. ‘I just left the protest at the Capitol building and got a big bruise on my leg. I’ve had a hard time pulling down the act I was paid for, and I’m making this video because I want to admit I’m paid to pretend I’m protesting today. I can not say by whom, but I will just say that it is an organized effort. ‘
Captions on social media posts sharing the video say the man is an Antifa member. One reads: “Antifa member admits he will be paid to break into the Capitol building” (here). Others have similar statements (here and here).
Other captions and comments show that some users took the video seriously: ‘Confession of an Antifa member who was at the Protest building in the Capitol building yesterday. They must investigate this man immediately !! ”Read one (here); “Wow !!!! Yep it happened. It was a coup against the patriots and Trump. No wonder!”; And “Prison this mf!” Said another.
The original video, which can be seen on Jon Berry’s YouTube channel (here), now contains a link to an ‘layout video’. In the linked video, Berry jokes, saying, ‘The video I posted about Antifa, so that’s what happened, that’s so stupid. I’m Antifa, but that’s not what you think I’m the owner, founder and sole proprietor of the Anti-farting organization ”(here). In a later video posted on his YouTube channel, Berry says that his original video was a ‘stupid fool’ (here).
After a rally in which Trump urged his supporters to fight to overthrow the November 3 election, hundreds of them stormed the Capitol on January 6, forcing senators and members of the House of Representatives to evacuate as they smashed windows and looted. a siege that left five people dead (here).
Reuters recently made other false reports that the protesters who stormed the Capitol have dismissed members of Antifa (here, here, here).
VERDICT
Untrue. The man who posted the video and said he was paid to protest later explained that it was meant as a joke.
This article was produced by the Reuters Fact Check team. Read more about our fact-checking work here.