WASHINGTON, D.C. — A North Kingstown man who was seen on video shoving police officers trying to stop a breach of the US Capitol on Jan. 6, 2021, pleaded guilty to a felony charge Friday.
Bernard Joseph Sirr, 47, pleaded guilty in the District of Columbia to interference with officers during a civil disorder, the US Attorney’s office announced. He is scheduled for sentencing on May 12.
Sirr is one of more than 950 people who’ve been arrested so far for crimes related to the breach of the Capitol that disrupted a joint session of Congress to count the electoral votes in the presidential election.
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According to court documents, Sirr was among rioters who illegally entered the Capitol grounds on Jan. 6, 2021. He joined a line of rioters who were engaged in a confrontation with law enforcement officers in the tunnel area of the Lower West Terrace.
At approximately 3:08 p.m., video shows Sirr entering the tunnel. During a video taken inside the tunnel, Sirr is at the front of the police line pushing against rioters who are assaulting officers.
He was seen pushing against the police line with his hand pressed against a police shield. He also participated in a struggle in which a group of rioters chanted “Heave! Ho!” in unison as they moved together as a team against law enforcement.
Sirr exited the tunnel at approximately 3:14 p.m. About an hour later, however, he reappeared at the Lower West Terrace doorway, pushing other rioters who were pushing against police officers. Sirr ultimately was ejected from the tunnel area.
Sirr was later identified by the FBI and arrested in June 2022.
US Attorney’s Office in the District of Columbia and the Department of Justice National Security Division’s Counterterrorism Section are prosecuting this case, with assistance from the US Attorney’s office in Rhode Island.
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Amanda Milkovits can be reached at amanda.milkovits@globe.com. Follow her on Twitter @AmandaMilkovits.