Rioters were seen donning symbols tied to Nazi and white supremacists groups.
Some of the rioters at last week’s assault on the Capitol were head-to-toe in combat gear. Others were decked out in bizarre combinations of furs, face paint and tattoos. More than just a few looked prepared to do battle. Now investigators are using flags and other items they carried to track them down.
One man went viral for wearing a horned hat, fur pelts and carrying an American flag attached to a spear. He also was covered with paint and had tattoos on his body. His tattoos include symbols from Nordic mythology, including Thor’s hammer and a three triangle symbol, that have also been co-opted by several white supremacist groups.
Talia Lavin, author of “Cultural Warlords” has investigated white supremacists.
“These are images in Norse, Neo-Pagan worship, and they’re very common in the white supremacist movement,” Lavin told Inside Edition.
It’s not known if the man with the horns is a white supremacist. But there were others in the mob with shocking costumes and messages. One rioter wore a “Camp Auschwitz” sweatshirt. There was also a bewildering mix of symbols and signs, including a flag said to be derived from the Nazi swastika.
Another flag pictured was of the so-called “Three Percenters,” which the Anti-Defamation League calls “anti-government extremists who are part of the militia movement.”
“Three percenters and the militia movement, more broadly, are obsessed with the American Revolution and view themselves as its heirs,” Lavin said.
The confederate flag was also prevalent as was an "Unleash the Kraken" flag, playing off the movie "Clash of the Titans." The phrase was recently invoked by controversial lawyer Sidney Powell, who has represented President Donald Trump in his failed efforts to overturn the election.
Arnold Schwarzenegger posted a video blasting the rioters and drawing a comparison with Nazi Germany.
“Being from Europe, I've seen first hand how things can spin out of control,” he said.
He brandished his sword from “Conan the Barbarian” to make an inspiring point about America's future.
“Our democracy is like the steel of this sword. The more it is tempered, the stronger it becomes.”
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