By Guest Contributor Daniel Goodwyn
The story of January 6th is full of men and women who stood up for their country and paid the price. Among them is Will Watson, a young father who went to Washington, D.C. to protest peacefully, only to be branded a criminal, locked away, and forced to watch his life unravel. Today, he is free but struggling to provide for his family, and he is humbly asking for our support to get back on his feet.
You can help Will directly here: GiveSendGo.com/HelpWillWatsonJ6.
A Patriot Who Spoke for Peace
Contrary to the false media narrative, Will was not in Washington to wreak havoc. He was there, like so many others, to be heard. When the crowd moved into the Capitol, he found himself in the Ohio Chamber alongside Jacob Chansley, the so-called “Q Shaman”, and Capitol Police officer Keith Robishaw.
Rather than incite violence, Will grabbed a bullhorn and urged everyone to remain calm:
“Everybody listen up. The police are willing to work with us and cooperate peacefully like our First Amendment allows. Gather more Americans under the condition that they will come and gather peacefully to discuss what needs to be done to save our country. We’re not going to assault—we’re going to be heard. Everybody, this must be peaceful.”
This moment was captured on video and later aired on Tucker Carlson’s program, yet the government ignored it and painted Will as one of the most “dangerous” individuals of the day. You can watch that powerful footage for yourself here: Rumble.com/vh5h4h.
Even Officer Robishaw admitted in sworn testimony that Will was “calm, reserved, and trying to calm the crowd down.” Still, the judge and prosecutors twisted the facts to suit their narrative and make an example out of him.
The Regime’s Punishment
For his actions on January 6th, Will was thrown into the nightmare that so many J6 patriots endured: federal prosecution, solitary confinement, and a stacked court system that refused to recognize the truth.
In March 2023, Judge Reggie Walton sentenced Will to three years in prison, more than twice the maximum guideline recommended. The judge declared that the Capitol was “my house” and “my building,” revealing the personal vendetta driving these punishments.
The timing was devastating. Just days before, Will’s first child was born three months premature, weighing less than a pound in the NICU. Instead of being at his daughter’s side, Will was locked in solitary confinement, powerless to help his family.
“I missed the birth of my first child and the first two years of her life,” Will recalls. “That caused me more pain than anything else.”
Stripped of Dignity, Saddled With Debt
Prison life was brutal. Will spent months in solitary, then endured 13 weeks of “diesel therapy,” being shuttled from facility to facility with no clear designation. At USP Lewisburg, his records were conveniently “lost,” leaving him in limbo.
Eventually he landed at FCC Yazoo City, where he did his best to survive. He read 117 books, learned Spanish, and worked in the prison factory. He stayed out of trouble, but every day reminded him that he was being punished not for violence, but for daring to protest.
To make matters worse, Will was ordered to pay $12,000 in restitution for a broken window he didn’t break. Video evidence showed someone else smashing it before he stepped through, but the court still forced him to take the blame. Initially the fine was set at $1,400, but it ballooned when the Architect of the Capitol decided to gouge J6ers with inflated damages.
After his release in August 2024, Will was forced to make $250 monthly payments on this impossible fine, while struggling to earn a living.
Struggling to Survive on the Outside
Since his release, Will has tried to reenter society, but stable work has been nearly impossible to find. Like many J6ers, he’s been effectively blacklisted. The best he’s been able to do is drive for DoorDash, scraping by paycheck to paycheck.
Now, even that meager lifeline is slipping away. His car has been plagued with problems—brakes, oil leaks, fluid leaks, battery issues—and he has already taken on over $1,000 in debt just to keep it running enough to work.
In his fundraiser, Will writes:
“After years of political persecution for peacefully entering the Capitol on January 6th, I have been unable to reestablish myself in the workforce to any degree that can pull me out of being nearly financially destitute… Life has been extremely difficult since being released, and I cannot seem to get even a little bit ahead. If you find it in your heart to help, it would mean the world.”
This is where we come in. Will needs help today, and we can provide it by supporting his campaign: GiveSendGo.com/HelpWillWatsonJ6.
Patriots Don’t Leave Patriots Behind
Every J6 story is different, but they all share a common thread: ordinary Americans punished by a weaponized system. Families torn apart, livelihoods destroyed, voices silenced.
But patriots take care of one another. No one should walk this path alone. That is why organizations like StopHate.com have stepped in to track and share fundraisers for J6 families who are still suffering. You can see the full list here: StopHate.com/SHDOD.
Will’s fundraiser is one of those efforts, and it deserves our full attention.
How You Can Help
Will Watson stood for peace on January 6th. He paid with his freedom, his finances, and precious years with his daughter. Now, he’s working to rebuild—but he cannot do it alone.
Please consider donating to his fundraiser, sharing it with friends, and keeping Will and his family in your prayers. Together we can show that the American spirit cannot be crushed, and that patriots will never abandon their own.
DONATE HERE: GiveSendGo.com/HelpWillWatsonJ6
Daniel Goodwyn is a Christian, J6er, and activist. He knows firsthand how important it is to lift up those the regime tried to silence. He has a background doing pro-life, free speech, and election integrity activism. He was a J6 political hostage, released in August of 2023 and pardoned in January of 2025. Daniel has been on with Tucker Carlson discussing the topic of political hostages in the United States. He has worked on five documentary films on this topic and has assisted a number of legal teams with the review of film footage, as well as being part of David Sumrall’s StopHate.com team. DanielGoodwyn.com
The post Forgotten But Not Defeated. J6 Patriot Will Watson Fighting To Rebuild After Years of Persecution appeared first on The Gateway Pundit.