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Local Block Leader Investigated in Connection With January 6 Capitol Riot, Report Says

February 12, 2021 | 5:43 PM
in NEWS
21

By Carol Tannenhauser

Joseph Bolanos, the long-time president of the West 76th Street Block Association, is under investigation by the FBI for possible involvement in the January 6th insurrection at the U.S. Capitol, News 4 New York reported on Thursday. “Although Bolanos has not been charged, sources familiar with the investigation say charges could come in the coming days,” the report said.

The FBI searched Bolanos’ home on 76th and the home of a family member in Washington Heights, the report said.

Some UWS neighbors expressed shock at the news, calling the 69-year-old Bolanos “the face of the neighborhood,” an advocate for local quality-of-life issues, and a leader of the 7 p.m. salute to frontline healthcare workers. In 2014, he even helped police catch a man suspected of burglaries in the area. Others said Bolanos had “changed in the last few months.”

“Several neighbors claimed [he] boasted of being at the U.S. Capitol during the Jan. 6 riots and took video of the event. Some said he called it a great day on the street, at a local cafe and on social media,” News 4 New York reported.

“’I was walking down the street and I overheard him bragging about having been there and having taken video,’” said neighbor Dennis Regan.

Bolanos has not yet replied to our requests for comments or confirmation. The FBI had no comment on the search, but referred the Rag to a web page that details the Capital Riot investigation, and has a list of people charged. Bolanos was not on the list as of Friday evening.

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21 Comments
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robert
robert
2 years ago

Channel 4 was following the lead of MSNBC Which has had a large number of “accuracy issues” in their reporting of who may or may not be charged. I would be very careful putting people’s names out they’re until the FBI actually confirms they are being charged. Just because they were at the rally does not confirm they were or were not part of the subgroup that attacked the capitol building. If the FBI finds there is cause to charge him then throw the book at him. In this heated time on both sides, we should be more careful.

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ST
ST
2 years ago
Reply to  robert

Excellent comment. Couldn’t agree more.

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Will
Will
2 years ago

Block association folks are always just cloaked conservatives anyway.

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Mel
Mel
2 years ago

Those who planned the break-in or broke the door down and forced entry should be charged and prosecuted. Those who entered later and strolled between the velvet ropes should be charged and then given fines. The agent who shot and killed an unarmed and non-threatening bisexual trump-lady without warning should not be allowed to have a gun. Those UWS citizens who peaceably attended the protests should be tarred and feathered and excommunicated from the UWS. Still not clear what this guy did.

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James F
James F
2 years ago
Reply to  Mel

What does her sexual orientation have to do with this story?

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Tussa McGinn
Tussa McGinn
2 years ago
Reply to  Mel

“Those who entered later and strolled between the velvet ropes should be charged and then given fines.”

“Velvet ropes,” Mel. “Fines”? It wasn’t a night club they “strolled” through. These are the charges from the FBI list against those who “strolled” between the “velvet ropes” – Civil Disorder; Obstruction of an Official Proceeding; Assaulting, Resisting or Impeding Certain Officers; Entering and Remaining in a Restricted Building or Grounds; Disorderly and Disruptive Conduct in a Restricted Building or Grounds; Disorderly Conduct in a Capitol Building; Impeding Passage Through the Capitol Grounds or Buildings; Parading, Demonstrating, or Picketing in a Capitol Building.” If you’re not taking this seriously, Mel, I’m glad the FBI is.

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good humor
good humor
2 years ago

The good news is that illiberal, exclusionary, and bigoted thinking exists right here, in these comments. It should bring us together, and make us safer, to know that we all have a little Nazi in us. By knowing this, we can remain vigilant against acting on it.

Stay humble.

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ST
ST
2 years ago
Reply to  good humor

I have no interest in what anyone who uses the imperative on other people has to say. The imperative is imperious and imperial, its use indicates someone sitting on their high horse who thinks he is entitled to tell someone else what to do. Speaking of a little Nazi…

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NYYgirl
NYYgirl
2 years ago
Reply to  good humor

WHAT?!

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Rachel Smith
Rachel Smith
2 years ago
Reply to  good humor

Definitely don’t agree — and suggest you don’t post comments like that here. There are plenty of online forums where comments like that are welcome but the Rag isn’t one of them and We, your neighbors, aren’t ok with this.

Rag, why are you allowing posts that normalize Nazi mentality?

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PastramiBliss
PastramiBliss
2 years ago
Reply to  good humor

” we all have a little Nazi in us”. Congrats, you win the award for the most absurd, repulsive comment in WSR history.

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Reply
lynn
lynn
2 years ago
Reply to  good humor

No. We do not all have a little Nazi in us.

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Reply
Farnham
Farnham
2 years ago
Reply to  lynn

Thank you…No we most certainly dont..Excuse me!

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Daniel A
Daniel A
2 years ago

Charges “could” come. “Overheard” by anonymous bystanders. I’m a long-time activist and frequent protestor and I’m shocked by the rush to convict absolutely everyone who may have attended the rally in DC. Absent a conviction based on evidence of a crime, this man should be presumed innocent. Regardless of your politics, persecution of law-abiding activists is tyranny.

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Sam Katz
Sam Katz
2 years ago
Reply to  Daniel A

If he was “law abiding,” the FBI would not have gotten a search warrant to raid his two apartments. A little critical thinking might go a long way.

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Reply
good humor
good humor
2 years ago
Reply to  Sam Katz

Have you heard of Due Process?

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Reply
Sam Katz
Sam Katz
2 years ago
Reply to  good humor

I didn’t write anything about him being guilty or innocent. I strictly noted that in order to rummage through his apartments, the FBI had to hav a search warrant. They’re really not bothering with “gossip” and you cannot obtain a search warrant on “overheard.” Clearly there is something that warranted a warrant. Even if you did nothing more than watch Law & Order you would know that.

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Mark
Mark
2 years ago

It appears that the FBI is being careful before charging our neighbor with any crime. I hope I can do the same. Presumption of innocence should not be thrown away just because the crime is deeply troubling.

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Margaret
Margaret
2 years ago

Wow. I hope there is real accountability. He was so hostile to people like me at every community board meeting. He never made me feel like I belonged and he was shockingly, horribly misogynistic. It was disturbing to see people let it slide.

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Sam Katz
Sam Katz
2 years ago

Everyone is really missing the bigger picture. Joe — like him or not — was for years concerned with things like bikes on the sidewalk, litter, graffiti, rats, locksmith stickers, and all the things we both worked on to beautiful and make safer the neighborhood. How does one go from that to bragging about trashing and destroying an irreplaceable historic, national landmark?

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Reply
Tussa McGinn
Tussa McGinn
2 years ago
Reply to  Sam Katz

Good question, Sam. One could partly answer it with another question: How does one go from being a vegetarian artist to a genocidal despot? The devil is in the details of their mind. Or, put another way, You think you know a person.

0
Reply

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