FL 'Justice For J6' Rally Supporting Capitol Rioters Canceled

Updated: 4:20 p.m., Wednesday

SEBASTIAN, FL ? Defenders of the Jan. 6 U.S. Capitol rioters will show their support at upcoming demonstrations organized in cities throughout the country.

The rioters ? mostly supporters of then-President Donald Trump ? stormed the Capitol building in Washington, D.C., to disrupt the counting of electoral votes confirming Joe Biden as the winner of the 2020 presidential election.

Four people were killed during the building?s breach, and five police officers died following attack. Officer Brian Sicknick suffered two strokes and died of natural causes the day after the riot, the Washington Post reported. In addition, Capitol Police Officer Howard Liebengood, Metropolitan Police Department Officer Jeffrey Smith, Metropolitan Police Department Officer Gunther Hashida and Metropolitan Police Department Officer Kyle DeFreytag later took their own lives; all four had responded to the Capitol melee.

To support those arrested following the Jan. 6 riot, the organization Look Ahead America has coordinated ?Justice for J6? rallies at the Capitol building Sept. 18 and in other U.S. cities on either Sept. 18 or 25 or Oct. 2.

Ahead of Saturday?s rally in Washington, D.C., the U.S. Capitol Police approved plans to install a temporary security fence around the building.

In a news release, the group detailed plans for Florida demonstrators to gather Saturday from 10 to 11 a.m. at Riverview Park in Sebastian.

Capt. Tim Wood with the Sebastian Police Department told Patch Wednesday that he spoke with an organizer from Look Ahead America and the event would not be taking place.

On Tuesday, Brian Denton, leisure services director for the city of Sebastian, said the city was unaware of the planned rally.

?This is the first I?ve heard of it. They have not rented the park,? he said.

Riverview Park is typically rented when used for special events. A commemorative service honoring the 20th anniversary of the 9/11 attacks was recently held at the park?s veterans memorial.

Patch reached out to Look Ahead America for comments. The group's website doesn't indicate plans for an alternative Florida demonstration.

?The purpose of these peaceful protests is for patriotic Americans to educate their state legislators on the power they have to give instructions to their state?s federal legislators,? Matt Braynard, Look Ahead America?s executive director and former Trump campaign staffer, said in a statement. ?We have composed a draft resolution a state legislature can pass to inform U.S. senators and representative to oppose the tyrannical and inhumane treatment of the January 6 political prisoners who have been targeted by the Department of Justice and the FBI.?

The group has previously spoken out against what its members claim is mistreatment of those arrested in relation to the storming of the Capitol building. At the end of August, LAA and the Citizens Against Political Persecution filed a formal complaint with the United Nations? Human Rights Committee, calling for an investigation into their treatment while detained.

Braynard said those arrested for breaching the Capitol ?have been disparately and inhumanely treated by their government ? singled out, imprisoned, and even physically abused ? because of their political beliefs.?