Princeton Senior Charged in Jan. 6 Capitol Riots

Federal prosecutors say Larry Giberson ’23 helped a crowd of rioters try to force their way into the U.S. Capitol

Someone with a blue baseball cap is seen near doors; people in riot gear are in the background.

This photo appears in the federal court documents, which say it shows Giberson at the front line of the tunnel fight while an officer was being crushed for several seconds between the rioters and the doors.

Federal court documents

By Elisabeth H. Daugherty

Published March 14, 2023

3 min read

This story has been updated with a statement from Giberson’s attorney.

A Princeton senior was arrested March 14 on felony and misdemeanor charges related to the Jan. 6, 2021, riots at the U.S. Capitol.

Larry Fife Giberson ’23 is 21 years old and from Manahawkin, New Jersey, according to a news release from federal prosecutors. The Daily Princetonian reported that he is majoring in politics, and the University’s James Madison Program lists him among its 2022-23 undergraduate fellows.

Giberson faces one felony count of civil disorder and related misdemeanor offenses, according to the news release.

The University’s Rights, Rules, Responsibilities policy manual lists “deliberate participation in a riot” that threatens the University or local community among the offenses regarded as “extremely serious.” When asked whether Giberson will graduate this spring, Princeton spokesman Michael Hotchkiss sent a statement saying only that Giberson is currently enrolled as an undergrad.

Prosecutors are arguing that on Jan. 6, 2021, Giberson engaged in violence against Capitol police officers at the Lower West Terrace “tunnel” entrance, according to the news release. They say he was at the front of a group of rioters trying to force their way in using a coordinated “heave-ho” push against a line of police officers, and that one officer was “crushed between a door and a shield held by a rioter.”

He later went back out of the tunnel and was part of a second round of pushing against police, who were eventually able to push the rioters — including Giberson — out, according to the news release. It also says Giberson watched as rioters “assaulted and brutally injured” an officer, and later cheered as rioters used weapons and pepper spray on officers in the tunnel.

Giberson was wearing a blue baseball cap with the words “TRUMP Make America Great Again” on it, a gaiter with an American flag on it, and a Trump flag around his neck, according to court documents.

Agents gathered photos from the riot and matched some to photos associated with Southern Regional High School in Stafford Township, New Jersey, and Princeton University’s French and Italian Departments. They searched online for students from the high school and Princeton, and identified Giberson.

When the FBI interviewed him at the Princeton Police Department with his attorney present, he confirmed he was the person in photos and video clips from the riot, the documents say. Giberson has not commented publicly on the case, but his attorney, Charles Burnham, said in a statement: “We cannot comment on the truth or falsity of the specific allegations in the complaint while the case remains pending other than to note that even the government agrees Mr. Giberson has been cooperative throughout the investigation. We ask all interested parties to respect the presumption of innocence and withhold judgment until the Court process is complete.”

The FBI’s Newark and Washington field offices are investigating Giberson’s case. Valuable assistance was provided by law enforcement agencies including the Princeton University Department of Public Safety, the news release says.

Prosecutors continue to investigate Jan. 6, having arrested more than 999 people and charged over 320 with assaulting or impeding law enforcement, according to the news release.

Published in the April 2023 Issue

2023 Politics & Public Affairs

2 Responses

Tom Brocher *80

1 Year Ago

Princeton Should Not Tolerate Insurrection

Many of my generation have participated in more than one peaceful protest against the Vietnam War and racial discrimination, as well as in demonstrations to promote human rights, environmental action, and other causes. Such peaceful protests and demonstrations support democracy by giving a constructive voice to many in our communities.

Larry Giberson ’23 (On the Campus, April issue) was present at an armed and deadly insurrection against the federal government. By his own admission, he was there. [Giberson pleaded not guilty to felony and misdemeanor charges on April 18.] As his attorney correctly points out, we must let the judicial process do its work in deciding whether Mr. Giberson is guilty of any crimes. Nonetheless, it does not take a rocket scientist to see that, by his own admission to being there, he participated in this armed rebellion.

Although I do not wish that the University rush to judgement about his criminal charges, I also do not wish to see the University condone Mr. Giberson’s actions by granting him a Princeton degree. Does one want Mr. Giberson to be able to crow about being a Princeton graduate? I think not. I think Princeton should stand firm in its conviction that it will not tolerate such actions by its students.

This news story also raises an issue about what Princeton should do about other students who have participated in past armed insurrections against the U.S. government, i.e., those alumni who served in the Confederate insurrection in the Civil War. Is it time to look at such individuals and to decide what Princeton should do about their degrees?