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Rioter Trampled To Death At The Capitol Was Holding A Flag Saying ‘Don’t Tread On Me’

Rioter Trampled To Death At The Capitol Was Holding A Flag Saying ‘Don’t Tread On Me’

Rosanne Boyland's family begged her not to go to the event that saw four rioters and a police officer killed.

Stewart Perrie

Stewart Perrie

A protestor who was killed during the riots last week in Washington D.C. has been identified.

The family of Rosanne Boyland have explained their heartache, shock and dismay after discovering the 34-year-old died while rallying outside the Capitol building.

She was one of three people who suffered 'medical emergencies' during the 'insurrection' and a Metropolitan Police spokesperson told Channel 2 Action News the Kennesaw native was 'potentially crushed to death'. One woman was shot dead and a police officer was also killed.

Boyland's friend, Justin Winchell, travelled with her from Georgia to D.C. to attend President Donald Trump's rally.

The pair were among the hundreds of people who then marched to the Capitol and rallied outside. Tensions grew between the rioters and police trying to guard the building, and eventually all hell broke loose.

PA

"They basically created a panic, and the police, in turn, push back on them, so people started falling," Mr Winchell said.

"I put my arm underneath her and was pulling her out and then another guy fell on top of her, and another guy was just walking [on top of her]. There were people stacked two-three deep...people just crushed."

Photos have emerged of Boyland holding a 'Save America' sign and a Gadsden flag that features a coiled snake ready to attack along with the words 'Don't Tread On Me'.

The Gadsden flag has been around since the American Revolution and 9News reports it's since been used by 'conservative groups as a way of opposing government intervention'.

The family of Rosanne Boyland say she had become a conspiracy theorist in recent months and wrongly believed Donald Trump won the election back in November.

Facebook

Boyland's sister, Lonna Cave told the Associated Press: "She promised me, 'I'm going to stand on the sidelines. I'm just going to show my support'."

Lonna added that they used to get into a lot of arguments over politics.

"She would text me some things, and I would be like, 'Let me fact-check that.' And I'd sit there and I'd be like, 'Well, I don't think that's actually right,'" Lonna said. "We got in fights about it, arguments."

Boyland's friend, Nicholas Stamathis, also told AP that her conservative politics started around the time she kicked a drug habit.

Her Facebook page was littered with photos and videos praising Donald Trump and also had conspiracy content that tried to link the coronavirus to the election being rigged.

Boyland's family believe Trump has blood on his hands for inciting the people who gathered at his rally to head to the Capitol.

Featured Image Credit: Facebook

Topics: News