Dominic Pezzola: Proud Boy who smashed Capitol window speaks out about 'fake' charges as trial concludes
WASHINGTON, DC: Dominic Pezzola, one of the members of the right-wing extremist group, Proud Boy has called the charges against him ‘fake’. He has been indicted on seditious conspiracy charges about January 6 riot when hordes of people illegally stormed in Capitol building. He is booked along with the group’s former leader Enrique Tarrio, and the other three members Ethan Nordean, Joseph Biggs, and Zachary Rehl. Pezzola during cross-examination on Thursday, April 20, said rioters were “acting as trespassing protesters.” During the questioning, he also claimed that authorities used excessive force on the mob during the infamous incident.
Pezzola confessed that he had earlier lied to the FBI about one of his co-defendants in the case carrying a firearm during the riot. The 45-year-old called the trial ‘phony’ and ‘corrupt,’ and explained he was then speaking metaphorically when he said he was willing to fight for the Proud Boys. Comparing his past remarks. He had said, “how I’m fighting this corrupt trial with these fake charges.”
READ MORE
'Respect is earned, beatings are free'
Pezzola also admitted that he was wearing a hat that said “respect is earned, beatings are free” during parts of the riot. The record shows all five defendants rested their case on Thursday evening, while prosecutors did on Friday morning, April 21. During the lengthy trial, Pezzola said that he was “just interested in joining a group of like-minded men" when he signed up with the Proud Boys shortly before the insurrection. "I believed everyone’s freedom is under attack by radical socialists," he said.
'You better decide what side you’re on'
Prosecutors had presented during the trial a journal entry in which Pezzola had written the reason behind joining the far-right organization, reports NBC News. “If the time comes, I’m willing to stand first on the line to protect who I love and what we stand for," read an excerpt from the journal. “You better decide what side you’re on motherf-----s,” Pezzola admitted that he yelled on January 6 at law enforcement. “You think Antifa’s bad? Just wait", said Pezzola.
