Five leaders of the extremist group, supporters of Donald Trump, are on trial for organizing and leading the invasion of the US Congress, which tried to block Joe Biden’s inauguration as US president and resulted in the deaths of five people.
Leaders of the extremist group Proud Boys have been on trial since Monday, 19/12, for allegedly participating in the occupation of the Capitol Building, which sought to prevent the current president of the United States, Joe Biden, from taking office on January 6. , 2021 .
According to the indictment, the group participated in the riot that broke out when a crowd of supporters of then-President Donald Trump entered the headquarters of the US Congress.
Founded in 2016 by British-Canadian activist Gavin McInnes, Proud Boys is an all-male group with a history of street violence against far-right, anti-immigrant, left-wing dissidents.
The five leaders of the Proud Boys will be tried by American Justice: Enrique Tarrio, Ethan Nordean, Joseph Biggs, Dominic Pezzola, and Zachary Rehl.
The invasion came during a session of Congress that confirmed Biden’s victory in last year’s election.
The current head of the Democratic Party defeated Trump, but the Republicans did not admit defeat and occupied the Capitol. Three policemen and two protesters were killed in the riot.
According to the federal prosecutors in charge of the investigation, the five joined and organized the movement that occupied the Capitol.
According to CNN, prosecutors must testify at trial for other members of the Proud Boys who confessed to their involvement in the riot.
The speeches made by the defendants via text messages and their publications on social networks should also be used as proof of their participation in the organization of the occupation.
According to The New York Times, prosecutors could have charged defendants with simpler offenses such as trespassing, but settled on more serious charges that characterized sedition, such as sedition, rebellion against an authority.
They would also lead and organize a group that used force against established authorities.
Five militants could be sentenced to up to 20 years in prison.
Lawyers for the activists claim that the activists were just protesting and had no role in organizing the riot.
The hearing will be held in the US capital, Washington, and will be the scene of Trump support protests that day.
Donald Trump is expected to be tried on four occupation-related charges, according to a ruling by a parliamentary committee investigating the attack on the site.
The 38-year-old defendant, Enrique Tarrio, is believed to be the main leader of the extremist group, CNN reported.
Ethan Nordean, 31, is a member of the Washington State Proud Boys. He rose to prominence in America soon after a video of him attacking an anti-fascist protester went viral online.
38-year-old Joseph Biggs is a senior member of the US Army and led the core of the Proud Boys in Florida. Biggs worked as a reporter for Infowars, a far-right agency that spread conspiracy theories.
36-year-old Zachary Rehl is a former sailor. And Domingos Pezzola, 44, was one of the leaders of the group in New York.
Who are the Proud Children?
The name Proud Boys is a reference to a quote from the musical. Aladdinby Disney.
Members wear red hats that read “Make America Great Again” (or Donald Trump’s campaign slogan, “Make America Great Again”), in addition to Fred Perry-branded polo shirts.
The Proud Boys’ platform includes recommendations such as closing borders, giving guns to all, ending welfare policies, and perpetuating traditional gender roles (like “respecting the housewife”). Many of the theses are also defended by Trump.
The group isn’t just made up of white men—but nonetheless it has gained a reputation for violent political confrontations, mostly against black activists.
The Proud Boys and their affiliates have faced off against anti-fascist groups in a variety of violent protests over the past two years, mostly in Oregon, Washington, and New York.
Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, and YouTube have banned the group from their platforms. Thus, members migrated to less popular social networks.
The militants were also classified as an “extremist group” by the FBI in 2018 and designated as a “hate group” by the Southern Poverty Law Center, a traditional organization that maps intolerance in the United States.
– This text was published at https://www.bbc.com/portuguese/internacional-64034237.
source: Noticias
Mark Jones is a world traveler and journalist for News Rebeat. With a curious mind and a love of adventure, Mark brings a unique perspective to the latest global events and provides in-depth and thought-provoking coverage of the world at large.