Six California men were indicted this week on charges stemming from violence at the U.S. Capitol on January 6. At least two of the men have participated in recent protests against the implementation of a vaccine passport system in Orange County.
The actions come one month after a member of the Orange County Board of Supervisors conflated anti-vaccine passport protesters with the insurrectionists of January 6.
“I notice a few people there who took part in the insurrection,” Orange County Board of Supervisors member Katrina Foley wrote on Twitter on May 11 of anti-vaccine passport protesters. “These are the same people who deny Covid, oppose masks, and stormed the United States Capitol.”
I notice a few people there who took part in the insurrection. These are the same people who deny Covid, oppose masks, and stormed the United States Capitol.
— Katrina Foley (@KatrinaFoley) May 11, 2021
Alan Hostetter and Russell Taylor, critics of the vaccine passport system were indicted on Wednesday, along with Erik Scott Warner, Felipe Antonio “Tony” Martinzez, Derek Kinnison and Ronald Mele.
Hostetter, along with all the men, faces charges of being in restricted areas of the Capitol. Warner and Kinnison stand accused of destroying evidence and Taylor faces an additional weapons charge for carrying a knife with a blade longer than three inches. Warner is the sole individual charged with actually entering the Capitol Building; he is accused of entering through a broken window.
“What a day! Thank you all for all the support today,” Mr. Hostetter, the former chief of the La Habra police department wrote on his Facebook page Thursday. “When I came home from my arraignment I had many messages of love and heart felt support. I had no idea the indictment was coming. Took me totally by surprise.”
“I am thankful for a very fair judge, the U.S. Marshall’s Office who treated me wonderfully while in custody awaiting my arraignment, my excellent attorney (and former federal prosecutor, Bilal Essayli), and one AMAZING wife. And never forget… ‘All lies will be revealed!’ Love you all!”
“There is a whole lot more to this story than meets the eye,” he added in an accompanying video on his Facebook page.
The Orange County Board of Supervisors, the County’s governing body, attempted to implement a vaccine passport system earlier this year. The system would have restricted residents’ access to public areas and businesses until they could show a positive vaccine status through an app on their smartphones.
The BoS was forced to relent on the surveillance system after a fierce public backlash. Residents however, point to actions by the Board over the last several months as proof it is not being responsive to their concerns and that the overarching plans for implementing such a system haven’t changed at all.
Supervisor Katrina Foley, one of the most ardent supporters of the system, has received the harshest criticism from OC residents.
“Katrina Foley is the worst kind of bully. Her knee-jerk reaction to being legitimately questioned by her tax paying constituents was to call them racist, insurrectionists! Since when is questioning how our government is spending our hard earned tax dollars racist!?” an Orange County resident who wishes to remain anonymous tells ITN.
“On numerous occasions now the OC Supervisors have deliberately hidden what they have already done and are planning on doing with massive amounts of our tax dollars! The real question that Katrina needs to answer is what’s in it for you? Why are you so vehemently pushing vaccine passports on the public?”
“Why do we need big brother tracking our every move? Tracking the movements, purchases and activities is exactly what the Chinese Communist Party does (CCP social score program). Why is Katrina Foley pushing the same type of program here in Orange County? Come clean OC Board of Supervisors!” they added.