Kevin Seerfield, a 53-year-old man from Delaware, was convicted on five charges for his participation in January 6 riots which included carrying a Confederate flag to Capitol Hill. He was sentenced to three years in prison on Thursday.

Seerfield was also charged with obstructing the official proceeding of the joint session of Congress that was in operation that day to certify the Electoral College vote.

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Who is Kevin Seerfried?

While addressing the court after his sentence was being announced, Seerfield said that he knew entering the Capitol was wrong. “I never wanted to send a message of hate,” he pleaded. Earlier during the proceedings, his lawyers tried to reduce his sentence to a year as opposed to the government’s demand for 70 months. Ultimately, the judge settled for 36 months.

As far as the Confederate flag is considered, Seerfield’s lawyers said that he carried the flag “as a symbol of protest, but had not considered the logic of those who see the flag as a symbol of American racism.”

“Now that photos of him with the flag have become iconic symbols of the horror of January 6, Mr. Seefried completely understands the harm he has caused,” they said, adding that Seefried knows that “the community and even history, may view him as a racist,” with photos of him from that day circulated widely on social media.

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Hunter, his 24-year-old son, who also attended the riot, was charged with a two-year prison term in October 2022. Hunter’s attorney accused the elder Seefried of encouraging his son to attack the Capitol during Hunter’s sentencing.

Since January 6, more than 900 people have been detained; as a result, approximately 500 have pleaded guilty and been given lengthy prison terms. The inquiry is still ongoing.