FACT CHECK: Were Antifa Activists Arrested In Washington, D.C. Ahead Of The Election Certification?

A post shared on Facebook claims the U.S. military, including the Army Criminal Investigation Division (CID), purportedly arrested 25 Antifa activists in Washington, D.C., ahead of the certification of the 2024 presidential election results.

Verdict: False

The claim is false and originally stems from a Jan. 5 article published on the satire site “Real Raw News.” A spokesperson for the Army CID denied the claim’s validity in an email to Check Your Fact.

Fact Check:

Congress is set to meet Monday to certify the results of the 2024 presidential election, according to NBC News. Security, including multiple layers of fencing, was visible outside the U.S. Capitol in preparation for the certification, the outlet reported.

The Facebook post claims the U.S. military, including the Army CID, purportedly arrested 25 Antifa activists in Washington, D.C., ahead of the certification of the 2024 presidential election results.

According to the same post, a task force comprised of members of the Army CID, U.S. Marines, and others were deployed to Washington, D.C., amid chatter that members of Antifa and Black Lives Matter (BLM) planned on “[launching] tear gas canisters on the steps to the Capitol on January 6.” The post further claims plainclothes CID agents purportedly arrested a group of 12 Antifa activists, while U.S. Marines located another 13.

The claim is false and originally stems from a Jan. 5 article published on the satire site “Real Raw News.” A “Disclaimer” included on the site’s “About Us” page indicates its content is not meant to be taken literally. “Information on this website is for informational and educational and entertainment purposes. This website contains humor, parody, and satire. We have included this disclaimer for our protection, on the advice [of] legal counsel,” the disclaimer reads. (RELATED: No, Judge Juan Merchan Was Not Executed At Guantanamo Bay)

Likewise, Check Your Fact did not find the claim referenced on the Army CID’s website or its associated social media accounts. The U.S. Marine Corps (USMC) also has not publicly commented on the claim. In addition, Check Your Fact did not find any credible news reports to support the claim. President Joe Biden has not discussed the claim, either.

Furthermore, a spokesperson for the Army CID denied the claim’s validity in an email to Check Your Fact.

“The Department of the Army Criminal Investigation Division (DACID) can confirm that this information is not accurate and that no DACID personnel have taken part in any such activity,” the same spokesperson said.

Check Your Fact has also contacted the USMC for comment.