WASHINGTON (KETK) – Two East Texans that were arrested for their participation in the Capitol Hill siege two weeks ago called for a “second revolution” and had been planning to go to D.C. for weeks before the attack.

30-year-old Ryan Nichols of Longview and 32-year-old Alex Harkrider of Carthage have been taken into custody and charged with several federal crimes. Nichols is being held in the Smith County Jail and Harkrider in the Gregg County Jail. They are charged with:

  • Conspiracy and Unlawful Entry with a Dangerous Weapon
  • Violent Entry or Disorderly Conduct
  • Civil Disorder
  • Assaulting a Federal Officer Using a Deadly or Dangerous Weapon
  • Aiding and Abetting

A detention hearing and preliminary examination and identity hearing was held on Jan. 22 at 1:30 p.m. for Ryan Nichols before Judge K. Nicole Mitchell. A detention hearing and preliminary examination was also held on the same day for Alex Harkrider.

Moreover, a 20-page Department of Justice arrest warrant lists out in great detail how the two planned on storming the Capitol for weeks and how they posted several times to social media bragging about the riot.

Two witnesses separately contacted the FBI and agents ran a search of both of their Facebook pages, which included numerous photographs and videos.

“In the photos, Nichols appears with a beard and wearing a Marine Corps camouflage hat, American flag face cover around his neck, and a blue jacket, and Harkrider appears with a beard and wearing a blue and gray baseball hat with a Star on it and a tan jacket.”

Department of Justice Arrest Warrant

In one photo, the two men are standing in front of a shattered window at the Capitol, saying ““We ain’t done yet! We just got started!”.

They initially claimed that it was Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi’s office, but FBI agents determined that it was actually a window on the other side of the building.

Image: Department of Justice from Ryan Nichols’ Facebook

In a video obtained by FBI agents, a man that appears to be Nichols yelling into a bullhorn ““If you have a weapon, you need to get your weapon!” along with “This is the second revolution right here folks! … This is not a peaceful protest.”

The warrant alleges that Nichols and Harkrider were identified in a separate video forcing their way into the Capitol building. The video shows Nichols allegedly grabbed a large, red aerosol can and sprayed it toward Capitol Police officers.

Photo: Department of Justice Arrest Warrant

In another Facebook post, Nichols tagged Harkrider saying they were “feeling pissed off” at the United States Capitol. He wrote: “We’re in. 2 people killed already. We need all the patriots of this country to rally the f*** up and fight for our freedom or it’s gone forever.

Back on Christmas Eve, Nichols made a post to a separate Facebook account that talked about the upcoming Electoral College certification on January 6 in D.C. He posted a photo that read: “By Bullet or Ballot: Restoration of the Republic is Coming!”

He also said that “We’re either going to do it the EASY way or the HARD way… It’ll get done either way though.”

Photo: Nichols and Harkrider are seen emerging from a busted Capitol Hill window in consecutive shots. Photo via Department of Justice

Four days later he wrote on the same Facebook page that “Pence better do the right thing, or we’re going to MAKE you do the right thing.”

Nichols also fought back against the baseless conspiracy theory that it was members of Antifa that stormed the Capitol and not President Trump supporters. He wrote that “Sure there may have been some ‘Antifa’ in DC, but there wasn’t enough to “Storm the Capitol” themselves.”

Photo: Department of Justice Arrest Warant

To view the full arrest warrant, click here.