Trump supporter who allegedly beat police officer charged after Telegraph footage led to tip-off

The FBI's arrest warrant said an informant came forward after viewing the footage

In court documents, an FBI agent said the assault occurred after 4pm. It is believed that The Telegraph spoke with Mr Stager just minutes later.

It was then that Mr Stager, who had just been tear gassed by police, said "every single one" of the officers defending the Capitol ought to be killed.

In a court filing, an FBI agent said he confirmed Mr Stager’s identity after the tip-off by obtaining a copy of Mr Stager’s driving licence from the Arkansas Department of Motor Vehicles.

The FBI agent said he had compared Mr Stager’s driving licence against The Telegraph’s footage and earlier footage of the assault and was satisfied they were the same individual.

According to the court document, filed on Thursday afternoon in a district court in Washington, an acquaintance of Mr Stager’s contacted the FBI after watching the footage.

In pictures: Donald Trump supporters storm the U.S. Capitol Building

A second "close associate" of Mr Stager’s also told the FBI that he had confronted Mr Stager over the footage. According to the FBI, Mr Stager confirmed to the associate that he was the man in the footage and said he believed the person he was striking with the flagpole was a member of the left-wing Antifa movement.

However, photographs of the assault included in the court filing clearly show the police officer lying on the ground with the words "Metropolitan Police" visible on his back.

According to the associate, Mr Stager had said the inflammatory comments he made on camera to The Telegraph were the result of being "wired up" after being tear-gassed and he intended to turn himself in but had yet to do so.

Mr Stager is charged with obstructing a police officer "engaged in the lawful performance of his official duties" during a civil disorder. It is unclear how he will plead.