Enrique Tarrio: Proud Boys leader found guilty of seditious conspiracy in Jan 6 trial
WASHINGTON, DC: Touted as the longest trial to date in the Justice Department’s pursuit of Capitol rioters, the far-right group Proud Boys is now facing conviction. The trial lasted for several months, before a jury in Washington on Thursday, May 4, made its decision on January 6 seditious conspiracy. Enrique Tarrio, Proud Boys leader was held countable for his active role in the attack, however, he was not present in Washington, since he was arrested a few days before the January 6 attack.
Prosecutors claimed that he gave direction to his troops remotely with messages on revolution and told them “don’t f---ing leave" after the government premises was breached in the afternoon. Tarrio was initially booked for orchestrating a fighting force with a group called the ‘Ministry of Self Defense’ comprising of devoted Proud Boys and their top leaders. A few weeks ago, the leader of another far-right group named Oath Keepers, Stewart Rhodes was convicted. He was held for a similar role of seditious conspiracy in the events of the Capitol Hill storming on January 6.
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'Stand back and stand by'
The video of the two ringleaders meeting in a Washington parking garage a day before the attack was also used as a piece of evidence among massive footage obtained by the Justice Department in the case. Proud Boys membership increased after then-President Donald Trump told the group to 'stand back and stand by’ during the 2020 presidential debate. An attorney representing Torrio argued that Trump encouraged and revved up the crowd that led to the Capitol Hill attack, as per ABC News.
The group claims that they didn’t plan to attack the Capitol and consider their group just a hard-charging social club, which attended political protests, partied and drank, and exchange crude jokes.
This is a developing story. MEAWW will keep you updated.
