The mother of the woman shot by Capitol police on Jan. 6 was arrested Tuesday night following a violent confrontation with a protester outside the Washington DC jail where the rioters are being held.
Micki Witthoeft’s daughter, Ashli Babbitt, died inside the Capitol, and her mother has since become a passionate advocate for those trying to overturn the 2020 election.
Witthoeft, 58, was among a group of right-wing protesters who marched to the jail on Monday where many rioters are being held.
She got into a fight with a counter-protester and was arrested on Tuesday, briefly detained and charged with assault.
Ashli Babbitt’s mother, wearing a white t-shirt, is seen brawling with a protester outside the DC prison on Monday. On Tuesday, she was arrested and charged with assault
Micki Witthoeft, mother of Ashli Babbitt, who was shot and killed after breaching the U.S. Capitol, is seen May 18 during a House Judiciary Committee hearing
Witthoeft is pictured leading a memorial walk for her daughter through DC on Monday
A police officer stands guard on Tuesday as Witthoeft is arrested for assault
The drama began on Memorial Day, when Witthoeft and other supporters marched on DC’s Southeast Central Detention Center.
Witthoeft, from Spring Valley, Calif., can be seen walking near Brianne Chapman, who goes by the name Anarchy Princess and broadcast the event live.
Chapman had previously, in October, gone live dabbing flowers outside the Capitol that had been placed to mark Babbitt’s birthday.
On Monday, Chapman shouted, “F*** Ashli Babbitt!”
As the group drove through DC, Chapman shouted with a megaphone, “Terrorists are coming to your neighborhood!”
She continued: ‘Ashli Babbitt’s mother, domestic terrorist! The Nazis are coming! Insurgent losers!
Chapman raised his middle finger to Witthoeft.
Brianne Chapman, who goes by the name ‘Anarchy Princess’, can be seen in a green t-shirt walking past Witthoeft, calling her a ‘terrorist’ and a ‘Nazi’.
Witthoeft can be seen shoving Chapman, who is still broadcasting the encounter live
Chapman walks ahead, to jail, still live
Witthoeft can be seen with Chapman’s megaphone in hand
Chapman sues Witthoeft, wanting his megaphone back
Witthoeft smashed the megaphone into the ground, leaving Chapman – still filming – to pick it up
Witthoeft then walked over to Chapman, who was across the road, and grabbed his megaphone, which was playing siren sounds.
Witthoeft threw the megaphone to the ground, where parts seemed to come off.
Tommy Tatum, a prominent participant in the January 6 defendants movement, confronted Chapman, and the pair briefly clashed.
A policeman then intervened to separate them.
Chapman could be heard saying out loud, “I have to press charges.”
On Tuesday, Witthoeft was arrested outside the jail.
After his arrest, a group of right-wing protesters stood near the police vehicle chanting, “Ashli Babbitt! Ashli Babbitt!’
Witthoeft was released a few hours later, according to a daily beast journalist at the scene, and returned to the right-wing protest area outside the prison, called “freedom corner”.
“I gave a snap as I got on the paddy wagon,” she told a small crowd of supporters.
“The MPD department at M Street has a serious rat problem.”
Asked about the booking process, Witthoeft said, “It really wasn’t that bad.”
She admitted to punching Chapman, adding, “It’s really undeniable.”
Tommy Tatum, a prominent participant in the January 6 defendants movement, is seen confronting Chapman before police separate them
A DC police officer intervened to separate Chapman and Tatum
Ashli Babbitt, a fanatical Trump supporter, was shot and killed by Capitol police on January 6, 2021 as she attempted to storm the Capitol to protest the 2020 election results
Hugh Carew, a spokesman for the DC Metropolitan Police Department, confirmed Witthoeft’s arrest.
“Michelle Witthoeft, 58, of Spring Valley, Calif., has been arrested and charged with common assault and destruction of property,” he said.
Tuesday’s arrest is not Witthoeft’s first.
She was taken into custody for blocking traffic at a Jan. 6 memorial event earlier this year, with police also citing the group’s lack of permits to hold the event on Capitol grounds.
The charges were eventually dropped.
