A Maine man is facing federal charges for allegedly joining the riot Jan. 6, 2021, at the U.S. Capitol.
Michael Gerard Fournier, 46, of Portland, was arrested Monday for one count each of knowingly entering or remaining in any restricted building or grounds without lawful authority; disorderly and disruptive conduct in a restricted building or grounds; disorderly conduct in a capitol building or grounds; and parading, demonstrating or picketing in a capitol building.
Fournier is charged in U.S. District Court in Washington D.C. His arraignment is not yet scheduled, according to court records.
An anonymous tipster reached out to the FBI on Jan. 11, 2021, saying they knew Fournier was at the Capitol for the insurrection. They later identified Fournier in surveillance photos provided by the FBI, according to a statement of facts from the FBI.
Fournier’s brother also told the FBI twice that Fournier was at the Capitol on Jan. 6. However, he declined to identify Fournier in the photos.
Before Fournier entered the U.S. Capitol building, he was captured on video, with his fist raised in the air chanting, “It’s our house,” per the FBI. In the surveillance footage, he is wearing a red bucket hat and an orange crossbody bag.
He entered the building shortly after 3 p.m. and took photos and video while in the rotunda. There was “no signage restricting his entry” and “no attempt to stop the protestors on that side of the building from entering,” Fournier said in a letter, which his then-attorney provided to the FBI.
He walked around the building for about 10 minutes, at one point carrying around a painting. As he went to leave the building, he placed both hands on a Capitol police officer and then exchanged words with the officer, per the FBI.
“Despite the broken glass, the blaring alarm, the police line in the Rotunda, and interacting with a police officer in the entryway of the Rotunda doors, Fournier did not leave the restricted area around the U.S. Capitol,” the FBI statement of facts said.
Fournier then stayed outside. Surveillance footage shows him near a line of police officers in riot gear, then going to the stairs next to the inauguration stands, where fences had “area closed” signs posted.
He left the area sometime after 4:40 p.m., per the FBI.
Another Mainer, Matthew Brackley, 40, pleaded guilty Thursday to assaulting police officers during the riot. He was a former Maine Senate candidate and is scheduled to be sentenced May 14.
No court dates are scheduled for Fournier.