The two brothers were described by one federal prosecutor as “dangerous powder kegs”...
KGW8
Matthew Klein, 24, was arrested in Sherwood, and Jonathanpeter Klein, 21, was arrested near Heppner on Tuesday without incident, the FBI said. Federal officials said Jonathanpeter is a self-identified member of the far-right Proud Boys.
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According to federal prosecutors, the Kleins flew from Portland to Philadelphia on Jan. 4, two days before the violent insurrection led by supporters of then-President Donald Trump that resulted in the deaths of five people and left 139 police officers injured. The riot, which occurred as Congress was certifying the Electoral College vote for the 2020 presidential election, was spurred on by false claims of widespread voter fraud and a rigged election.
At the destructive rally, federal prosecutors cited photos they said show the brothers on a wall in a restricted area of the Capitol grounds. They said video shows Matthew Klein helping others climb a police barricade to ascend the wall. The brothers entered the Capitol minutes after it was first breached, with Jonathanpeter celebrating with other people who had forced their way inside, prosecutors said in court filings.
Few American families can claim even one terrorist, let alone two… Their parents must be proud.
[EDIT 3/26/2021 4:40 PM CST] I’ve been taking some heat in the comments about this dig at the P’s… According to this article from Matthew Russell Lee / ICP the two brothers were home schooled by their missionary parents who dragged them around South America from Argentina to Chile. As far as I’m concerned there’s no reason to believe their parents are not fully responsible for raising their sons to be violent racist assholes, and their failure to denounce their sons’ abhorrent behavior in the six months since it first manifested itself reinforces that.
I will not acknowledge any more of that stupid static...
The Seattle Times
Matthew Klein, 24, was arrested Tuesday in Sherwood and his brother, 21-year-old Jonathanpeter Klein, was arrested the same day near Heppner, the agency said. Both face charges in U.S. District Court in the District of Columbia for their role in the Capitol breach. Those charges include conspiracy, obstruction of an official proceeding, obstruction of law enforcement during a civil disorder, destruction of government property, entering a restricted building, and disorderly conduct.
The brothers made an initial court appearance in Portland on Tuesday and remain in custody. The case is being transferred to Washington, D.C., for further proceedings, the FBI said.
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Jonathanpeter Klein has described himself as a Proud Boy, and he was photographed on Jan. 5 with his brother while wearing a Proud Boy PDX shirt, according to the FBI. PDX is a common abbreviation for Portland, Oregon.
The pair seemed pretty damned proud of themselves on 1/6…
Oregon Public Broadcasting
“Felony destruction of property, as charged in the indictment, is a federal crime of terrorism,” prosecutors stated in court documents seeking Matthew Klein’s detention. “The Grand Jury found probable cause ... to believe that the defendants intended to obstruct an official proceeding by committing acts of civil disorder, including unlawfully entering the Capitol grounds or building.”
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Both men remain in custody. On Wednesday, a federal judge ruled Matthew Klein a flight risk and danger to the community, while Jonathanpeter Klein will take up that issue before a judge in Washington, D.C., where the cases are being transferred.
The indictment alleges that Jonathanpeter Klein is a self-described member of the Proud Boys, a far-right hate group that often engages in violence at protests and played a central role in the insurrection.
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Court documents spell out in detail how the brothers assisted other members of the crowd Jan. 6 in climbing a wall to gain access to the upper west terrace of the Capitol. The Kleins then entered the building, and celebrated with another member of the Proud Boys screaming, “proud of your fucking boy,” the documents state.
This isn’t their first foray into public violence to support their political agenda...
The Oregonian
Both Kleins also attended a Proud Boys rally in Portland’s Delta Park on Sept. 26 , when Matthew Klein was cited on gun allegations, and a demonstration outside Oregon’s Capitol in Salem on Sept. 7, according to court documents.
A federal prosecutor described the brothers as “dangerous powder kegs” in his memo seeking their continued detention. Both are being held in Portland’s downtown jail but will face prosecution in Washington, D.C.
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“The defendants joined together to wrench open a secure door on the Capitol’s north side. Behind that door, law enforcement officers tasked with protecting the Capitol and its inhabitants prepared to fend off yet another wave of attacks from the unruly crowd,” Assistant U.S. Attorney Paul T. Maloney wrote in a detention memo.
“The defendants’ actions created a dangerous scenario that directly interfered with law enforcement’s efforts to secure the building,” Maloney wrote. “That they did so as part of a second or third wave of attacks -- with knowledge of the mayhem that had already unfolded at the Capitol -- shows their reckless disregard for others and the danger posed by these two actors.”
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“Both have demonstrated a preparedness and willingness, if not eagerness, to engage in violence against those with whom they disagree, be it Black Lives Matters supporters or the United States government,” Maloney wrote. “The defendants’ dress and weapons at the September 7, 2020 event in Salem appears to encapsulate their apparent desire to engage in violence with those holding opinions different than their own.”
These two maniacs had been primed and ready for months...
Prosecution Detention Memorandum
In addition to the government’s evidence that the defendants actively participated in the January 6th attack on the Capitol, there is also evidence that the defendants have participated in one or more Proud Boys events during which they were prepared to engage in and/or did engage in violent conduct. Specifically, according to media reports, on September 7, 2020, a group of approximately 100 supporters of former President Trump, including members of the Proud Boys, traveled to the Oregon capitol building in Salem and clashed with approximately 20 Black Lives Matters protestors. [link]
The events in Salem on September 7, 2020, were captured by photographer whose publicly available images appear to show J. Klein in a camouflage short-sleeve shirt and orange long sleeves, body armor, an orange gaiter, goggles similar to those depicted above, and armed with a yellow baseball bat and paint ball gun. [link] The identification of J. Klein as the person in the orange gaiter was based, in part, on a comparison of facial features – namely, the two moles/blemishes on J. Klein’s left cheek and the one mole/blemish on his left temple, which appeared similar to those in J. Klein’s December 2020 Oregon driver’s license photo.
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Another image from this series (below) purports to show the individual believed to be J.Klein chasing a fleeing Black Lives Matter protester, who was ultimately assaulted by the other person in the image. [link]
Footage of Proud Boys violence taken 9/7/20 in Salem, Oregon via the FBI link above...
The FBI continues to seek the public’s assistance in identifying individuals who participated in unlawful conduct during the Capitol Insurrection.
If you have information about racist scumbags who likely slept in dirty clothes before assaulting the U.S. Capitol on January 6th, call 1-800-CALL-FBI (1-800-225-5324) or leave a tip online. You may also submit relevant photos and videos to the FBI here.