Marine veteran arrested after writing about his participation in the Jan. 6 riots

A United States Marine Corps veteran who wrote a memoir about his participation in the January 6, 2021, insurrection at the U.S. Capitol was arrested last week for his involvement in the riots. Nathan Thornsberry, 42, was taken into custody on August 22 and charged with assault on law enforcement officers after the Federal Bureau of Investigations investigated his actions.

Thornsberry previously served in the U.S. Marine Corps. He was arrested in North Branch, Michigan, and charged with assault and obstruction of law enforcement, as well as four other misdemeanors, including physical violence in a restricted space, for his actions on Jan. 6. That day, supporters of former President Donald Trump marched to the U.S. Capitol, broke through police and barriers, and stormed the building for several hours in an attempt to prevent Congress from certifying President Joe Biden's 2020 election victory.

In a strange twist, Thornsberry's own writings are part of the charges against him. According to court documents, he wrote about his own experiences at the Capitol on January 6. The self-published book, “January 6: A Patriot's Story” (and an updated edition, “January 6 Redux: A Patriot's Story”), contains false and repeatedly debunked claims that the 2020 election was stolen and details his own involvement in the events leading up to and during the storming of the Capitol. The book claims to be an “eyewitness account of the events of January 6, 2021.” The book was written by a “Nathaniel Matthews,” but Facebook pages, Amazon records, and other pieces of evidence identify Matthews as Thornsberry. Authorities apparently became aware of Thornsberry's involvement after a witness tipped off about the book.

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In his own book, Thornsberry wrote that the main reason he was in Washington was the Stop the Steal rally. In addition, Thornsberry appears in videos from Jan. 6, including interviews, including one in which he identified himself by name, according to court documents. He is seen in photos participating in several front-line missions to break barriers, always with his face uncovered and wearing a jacket with the word “Marines” on the back.

In his book, Thornsberry wrote that he was involuntarily pushed toward the police line, rather than intentionally attacking the police forces at the Capitol. However, audio and video recordings from the scene show Thornsberry actively pushing against the police, repeatedly shouting “bring it on” and using his back to try to push a metal bike rack toward the officers.

Thornsberry is one of more than 1,450 people charged in connection with crimes related to the storming of the Capitol. He is also one of several veterans charged or convicted of participating in the effort to overturn the election.

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