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The mother of Capitol rioter Ashli Babbitt, 35, was arrested during a protest and memorial for her daughter in Washington D.C. for two traffic regulation violations.
Video footage of the incident shows Babbitt’s mother, Micki Witthoeft, 58, being arrested by police on Friday as a group of demonstrators ‘illegally blocked traffic.’
Babbitt, 35, was the only person killed during the insurrection when an officer opened fire at a Make America Great Again mob as they stormed through the Rotunda.
Bystanders who watched her mother being arrested slammed police in footage uploaded to social media – one saying that they ‘murdered’ her daughter, bewildered by her arrest.
Video footage of the incident shows Ashli Babbitt’s mother, Micki Witthoeft, being arrested by police on Friday during a memorial of her daughter and protest being held near the Capitol
Capitol police said that a group of demonstrators were ‘illegally blocking traffic’ on Independence Avenue, SW, near First Street, SW.
‘The group did not have a permit to demonstrate on Capitol Grounds,’ the said in a statement released Friday afternoon.
Officers said that they established a clear police line to prevent the group from moving further east and asked the group to ‘get out of the road’ threatening their arrest.
‘The sidewalk was open, a woman in the group was given multiple warnings to get out of the road,’ police said.
‘Instead of getting out of the road, the woman refused to leave, turned around with her hands behind her back, and asked to be arrested.’
Witthoeft was arrested for two Capitol Traffic Regulations obey an order, as well as blocking and obstructing roadways.
Witthoeft stood with supporters of protesters that were arrested on Jan 6, 2021 on the second anniversary of the insurrection – when her daughter was killed
‘As is typical for this charge, Witthoeft was processed and released this afternoon after being given a citation to appear in court at a later date,’ the statement finished.
A number of videos emerged on social media on Friday showing the moment in which police made the arrest.
In one video posted by Chris Nelson with footage from Freedom Express Media, a group, including Witthoeft, can be seen walking across the road.
As they continue to walk, Witthoeft can be seen trying to veer in the direction away from where Capitol police had asked the group to walk.
In that moment, police appear to stop Witthoeft, who remains silent while another protester says ‘you do not touch her sir.’
‘You’re not obeying the traffic law, you move to the sidewalk or you’ll be placed under arrest,’ one officer can be heard telling the group.
The small right-wing demonstration, which Witthoeft attended, was in support of hundreds of people who were arrested and charged following the storming of the Capitol
Local reports say about 20 people were in attendance at the Capitol protest a stark contrast to the demonstration Jan 6 2021
‘Sidewalk now or you’re under arrest. It’s that simple we’re not discussing it the sidewalk or you’ll be placed under arrest.’
Witthoeft, then goes off camera and appears to place something on the ground before turning to the group and standing still.
An officers is then seen grabbing Witthoeft’s arm before moving her toward a police vehicle.
A number of videos uploaded to Twitter show the moments following the initial confrontation with one protestor repeating ‘you’re arresting Ashli Babbitt’s mother.’
‘You murdered [Ashli Babbitt] inside the Capitol and now you’re going to arrest [Micki Witthoeft],’ one protestor could be heard saying in another video.
Witthoeft is then seen being cuffed against a police vehicle before police ask the remaining protestors to move to the sidewalk.
‘If you don’t move to the sidewalk we’re going to put you under arrest. You’re blocking traffic,’ one officer is heard saying.
Capitol police said that a group of demonstrators were ‘illegally blocking traffic’ and ‘did not have a permit to demonstrate on Capitol Grounds’
A protestor, later identified as Ashli Babbitt, was seen lying wounded after being shot by police inside the US Capitol, Washington DC. January 06 2021. Babbitt later died from her injuries
‘You’re blocking traffic, I ain’t blocking traffic,’ one protestor holding an American flag is heard saying.
Once further away from Witthoeft one bystander can be heard asking Babbitt’s mother whether she had any comments.
‘Yeah, Capitol Police suck a**!’ she yelled from the police vehicle where she was being held.
DailyMail contacted the US Capitol Police who referred to their statement for answers.
Local reports say about 20 people were in attendance at the Capitol protest with Daily Beast reporter Will Sommer tweeting that the small demonstration took a turn.
‘The pro-Jan 6 protest outside SCOTUS has already been disrupted multiple times,’ he wrote.
‘Once by a small group of antifa chanting ‘you lost, ha ha.’ A counter protester appears to know the protest leaders well, reading off their criminal records and fraud accusations into a megaphone.’
In August 2021, DailyMail exclusively revealed the police officer who shot Babbitt as Lieutenant Michael Byrd.
Byrd, 53, shot Babbitt in the shoulder as she tried to climb through a window into the Speaker of the House’s lobby during the riot by Trump supporters.
The rioters had invaded the Capitol in a bid to prevent the certification of the results of the presidential election in which Joe Biden defeated Trump by 306 electoral college votes to 232.
Cops had warned her to stop, but she pressed forward before Byrd shot her.
She was taken to the hospital where she later died.
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