A former Brooklyn City Council candidate was arrested on Wednesday morning for allegedly participating in the insurrection at the U.S. Capital on Jan. 6, 2021.
Mitchell Bosch, who mounted an unsuccessful campaign in District 37 last year, allegedly joined in a riot on Capitol grounds that afternoon, and was captured in multiple open-source photos and videos shoving police officers as they attempted to contain the crowds, according to his arrest warrant.
On Jan. 19, 2021 — roughly two weeks after the insurrection — Bosch allegedly posted a photo of a meal on Instagram, captioned “Enjoying my last meal before the FBI comes for me.”
That summer, the FBI did investigate Bosch — who, per documents filed in federal court, affirmed that he had attended the Jan. 6 rally, and had driven down to Washington, D.C., by himself. He also allegedly told investigators he felt there were “not enough men like him around” to “challenge leadership.”
Several months later, photos and videos that appeared to show Bosch on Capitol grounds, wearing a distinctive red hat and beanie, were posted on Twitter. Then, in 2023, a source tipped off investigators at the Federal Bureau of Investigations that Bosch was visible in several more open-source videos of the riot.
Using footage from police body cameras, security cameras, photos and videos posted online, and cell phone data, investigators determined that Bosch allegedly joined rioters in a restricted area of Capitol grounds just after 4 p.m. on Jan. 6 — hours after the incident began alle— and repeatedly shoved police officers back.
He reportedly ran back to the front of the crowd several times — at one point shouting “Hold the line!” and joining in on chants of “USA! USA! USA!”— and actively sought out physical fights with law enforcement officers.
In an interview with the FBI, a witness reportedly said that Bosch referred to Jan. 6, 2021, as “a beautiful day.”
Bosch was cuffed by federal agents on Valentine’s Day, and made his first appearance in Brooklyn Federal Court later that day — though the case will be transferred to federal court in Washington, D.C. According to court documents, Bosch is charged with assaulting law enforcement, civil disorder, entering restricted buildings or grounds, and engaging in physical violence on Capitol grounds.
In the months following the incident, Bosch was arrested repeatedly during anti-vaccination protests at the Museum of Natural History and at local restaurants.
Authorities have charged more than 1,300 people for their alleged participation in the insurrection, according to the U.S. Attorney for the District of Columbia – including a number of Brooklynites.
Just weeks after the incident, federal agents raided the home of a Sheepshead Bay sanitation worker and arrested him. Months later, a 19-year-old Brooklynite was cuffed after he confessed to breaking into the Capitol building that day.
