Over three years after the Stop the Steal protest and subsequent riot at the Capitol building on Jan. 6, 2021, two brothers were detained and charged with assaulting a New York Times photographer and destroying her camera during the commotion at the Capitol.
Fifty-two-year-old Philip Walker from Upper Chichester, Pennsylvania, and 49-year-old David Walker from Delran, New Jersey, were arrested on Thursday, Sept. 12, for assault charges and destruction of private property. The two brothers allegedly stole a camera from a New York Times photographer on Jan. 6 in the midst of the riots at the Capitol.
According to an affidavit from an FBI agent, Walker claimed he disposed of a camera that day by tossing it into a body of water while heading back home from Washington. The photographer who owned the camera was not named in court records, nor was her employer. Danielle Rhoades Ha, a spokesperson for the publication, confirmed that the photographer referenced in the FBI affidavit was Erin Schaff. Schaff wrote an account of her experience and her outlet published it on Jan. 7, the day after the Capitol riot.
Rhodes Ha said the New York Times was “grateful” to the D.C. US Attorney’s Office and the FBI for persistently “pursuing justice in this case.” She added that independent journalism based on facts was “a cornerstone of democracy” and condemned “attacks against reporters,” which she said should concern “anyone who cares about an informed citizenry.”
The affidavit says that Walker told investigators that he believed Schaff to be a member of the loose-knit left-wing extremist group known as “Antifa,” which stands for “anti-fascist.” Members of these groups often confront and clash with conservatives and other right-wing groups at political rallies and protests. Video footage shows the photographer at the top of a staircase before the brothers assaulted her and fled down the stairs.
Schaff said that “two or three men” wearing black interrogated her about who she worked for and grew agitated when they saw she worked for the New York Times. She said they then threw her to the ground while others watched without helping her. Police intervened, confusing her for a protester at first because the men stole her press pass along with her camera.
So far, almost 1,500 individuals have been charged in connection with the Capitol riots.
