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Proud Boys

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One of various Proud Boys logos. Found on some dumbass' tee-shirt.
“”We will kill you. That’s the Proud Boys in a nutshell. We will kill you.
—Proud Boys founder Gavin McInnes, 2016.[1][2]
“”We want to make America hate again.
—Proud Boys founder Gavin McInnes, 2024.[3]
Frogs, clowns, and swastikas
Alt-right
Icon altright.svg
Chuds
Rebuilding the Reich, one meme at a time
Buzzwords and dogwhistles
v - t - e

Proud Boys (also known pejoratively as "Poor Boys")[4]) is a pro-LGBT hashtag[5] far-right, Christian nationalist extremist hate group with ties to white nationalist groups and a history of misogyny and glorifying violence.[6][7] It is a designated terrorist group in Canada and New Zealand.[8][9]

Founder Gavin McInnes announced the Proud Boys on Taki's Magazine in 2016,[10] an alt-right publication. Numerous members of the Proud Boys are alt-right.[11] McInnes hosts alt-right guests on his shows, like Holocaust-denying Baked Alaska.[12] And Neo-Nazi podcaster The Right Stuff lauds McInnes for recruiting people to the far right.[13][14] However, McInnes fiercely asserts that the Proud Boys are not alt-right[15] — and they were willing to sue the Baltimore City Paper to prevent them from using the term.[16]

Some high-profile Proud Boys include Roger Stone (a Second Degree member),[17] Mike Cernovich, Lucian WintrichWikipedia of Gateway Pundit, and Charles C. Johnson.Wikipedia[18]:11

Early Proud Boys manual[edit]

During the 2023 trial of Proud Boys members for their role in the 2021 coup attempt an early Proud Boys manual was made public; the manual had been seized by search warrant in 2021.[19] The manual can be dated roughly, based on McInnes' obvious writing style and the reference to Dante Nero as 'pope' of the Proud Boys; Nero had left the Proud Boys before September 2017, after he realized that the group was attracting racists.[20] The manual is full of both inanity and contradiction.[18] Why is this? One explanation might be that McInnes himself is a doofus, another explanation might be for the same reason that advance fee fraud emails are badly written — to quickly weed out people who might see through the scam.[21]

All of Proud Boys' meetings are to begin with a three-paragraph quote from Pat Buchanan's book The Death of the West,[18]:2[22]:220 which puts the lie to the claim that Proud Boys are merely "Western chauvinist" since Buchanan is an anti-semitic fascist.[23][24] The "Western chauvinist" claim is essentially spin (public relations) for being white nationalist.[25] Regarding these paragraphs, the manual instructs chapters in other countries to omit the sentence with American exceptionalism ("America was a segregated society, but in no other nation do people enjoy greater freedom, opportunity, and prosperity than here in the United States.").[18]:2

The manual includes cultural appropriation: using the Swahili word for freedom (uhuru) as a rallying cry, and using the Muslim phrase "peace be unto him",[18]:8 a phrase which is only used for the prophet Muhammad.[26] The manual then wonders rather stupidly whether Muslims should be allowed to join.[18]:10 In reference to men whom McInnes is unsure of whether they could join, the manual also includes the offensive term 'Abbo' (for Australian Aborigines),[27] but presumably referring to the person that McInnes married in 2005, a Native American woman.[18]:10 Another cultural appropriation that the Proud Boys make is the use of the song "Proud of Your Boy" from the Broadway musical Aladdin (2014 release),[18]:5[28] which contains rather silly lyrics for a bunch of supposedly macho men. Aladdin is ultimately based on a Middle Eastern folktale,[29][note 1] so we're 'proud' of you boys for stealing that too.

In the section "Our Politics", it is immediately claimed that "We are not a political group. We are a fraternal brotherhood like the Elk's Lodge or the Shriners."[18]:8 The section then proceeds to list McInnes' "10 Ways to Save America", what are essentially wrong-headed and simplistic political positions:

  1. Abolish prison — "… The following points lend themselves back to this one."
  2. Give everyone a gun… but not for free
  3. Legalize drugs — opposition to the War on Drugs
  4. End welfare — "Right now we have incentivized single mothers. This has shattered families, especially poor families. Stop rewarding single mothers for leaving their husbands and we get the family back. With fathers comes disciple and employment. With jobs comes less crime."
    McInnes thinks that mothers returning to abusive fathers will somehow improve the family.
  5. Close the borders — "… No more Spanish schools or Chinese schools. Everyone speaks English and patriotism is encouraged."
  6. Outlaw censorship — "… We need to fight for free speech not just against the government but against people who want to shut it down. We are now policing ourselves worse than Big Brother. That needs to stop. Free speech includes all speech — good and bad — and a huge part of this brotherhood is making sure nobody is prevented from speaking. This is arguably our most important cause."
    Except for the "No more Spanish schools or Chinese schools." bit.
  7. Venerate the housewife — "Proud Boys are encouraged to put a ring on it and knock her up. We need to make more Proud Boys."
    Despite claiming to "venerate the housewife", McInnes is objectifying women, using the word 'it' rather than 'her finger', and using a vulgar term for pregnancy. It is basically Kinder, Küche, Kirche.
  8. Glorify the entrepreneur
  9. Recognize the West is the best — "This is just a hate fact. America was not stolen from the Indians and it was not built on slavery. Europe and Britain were not built on colonization. We fought hard to be #1 and we won. All other cultures are not merely different than us. They are worse."
    Does doofus even know that before 1776, Europeans in the Americas formed colonies with slave labor?
  10. Shut down the government — "We have no respect for the institutions that rob us of our hard-earned wages. We don't expect another man to handle our freedom and determine our destiny. We may not be anarchists but we always want the government brought down to the absolute minimum."
    We are not anarchists, but we are government bathtub stranglers.

Violence[edit]

This image of fail has been immortalized on the internet.

McInnes frequently asserts that the Proud Boys are nonviolent. For example, McInnes wrote that "We don’t start fights but we will finish them. The violence you see in the media is us defending ourselves from lunatics who want us dead for no discernible reason."[15] However, as Rewire News notes, McInnes has a preoccupation with violence and often justifies it:[30]

“”The other striking thing one learns from watching hours of McInnes on his show is that he has a fascination with violence that permeates much of his material. [....] "Violence solves everything," he said on a recent episode. [....] He tells stories about his own violent fights and recently interviewed a New York Proud Boy named Jovi Val who was left with a slashed cheek and a broken nose after a scuffle over his "Make America Great Again" hat turned into a bar brawl, and who, during the show, removed the bandages from his face, revealing a gash above the lip still oozing with blood. On many episodes of his show, he congratulated Proud Boys for being involved in street violence. Earlier this year, he added a "fourth degree" of Proud Boy membership, reserved for those men who "had an extreme conflict based on the cause", as McInnes explained on a recent episode of his show.

In practice, the Proud Boys have gained infamy mostly from their violent stunts. For example, Proud Boy Kyle Chapman became infamous as "Based Stickman" for a video of him breaking a wooden stick over the head of an antifascist activist.[14] McInnes himself proudly announced that Chapman had founded the "Fraternal Order of Alt-Knights", which he described as the "military division of [the] Proud[ ]Boys".[31] The Proud Boys gained headlines when they acted as the "security" force for white nationalist Lauren Southern in the "Battle of Berkeley".[30] Afterwards, the official Proud Boys Twitter account wrote that Southern had been "protected by TheProud Boys today" and that "hearing her say 'they (antifa) can’t get to me, I’m with the guys' felt great".

On August 10, 2018, McInnes' Twitter account and the Proud Boys' Twitter account were suspended by Twitter per their rules on violent extremist groups.[32][33]

Crimes[edit]

  • In January 2019, Tusitala "Tiny" Toese, a Samoan-American member of Proud Boys and Patriot Prayer, pleaded guilty to a misdemeanor assault charge from a 2018 brawl in Portland, Oregon.[34]
  • On August 19, 2019, Proud Boys Maxwell Hare and John Kinsman were convicted of "attempted gang assault, attempted assault and riot" outside a speech by McInnes at the Metropolitan Republican Club in New York City.[35][36] During the trial, McInnes was referred to by prosecutors as a hatemonger.[36] A total of 10 Proud Boys had been arrested who were at the event, 7 of pleaded guilty to charges of "riot, disorderly conduct and attempted assault", and one other is awaiting trial.[36]
  • In 2019, Buckey Wolfe, a Proud Boy and QAnon follower, allegedly killed his brother with a sword because he thought he was a lizard.
  • In August 2020, Proud Boy Travis Taylor allegedly attacked and broke the finger of a journalist (Robert Evans, @iwriteOK).[37]
  • In September 2020, Proud Boy Alan James Swinney was charged with multiple counts of assault, "pointing a firearm at another, unlawful use of a weapon and unlawful use of tear gas, stun gun or mace."[38] He was sentenced to 10 years in prison in 2021.[39]
  • In December 12, 2020, after weeping at homes that their god-emperor had not been reelected president, about 700 PBs and peripheral supporters rallied in Washington, DC. About three dozen people were arrested for causing violence, and it was reported that members of the rally roamed the streets looking for fights.[40] Four people were stabbed[41] and four churches were vandalized during the chaos.[42]
  • On January 4, 2021, the leader of the Proud Boys, Enrique Tarrio, was arrested in Washington D.C. on a warrant charging him with burning a Black Lives Matter banner taken from a historic African American church during the above demonstration on the night of December 12, 2020. During the arrest, officers confiscated two high-capacity ammunition feeding devices and charged him with felony possession of them.[43] Tarrio was found guilty of two misdemeanors and sentenced to 155 days of incarceration.[44]
  • On August 31, 2023, Joe Biggs was sentenced to 17 years in prison for seditious conspiracy.[45]

2021 U.S. Capitol riot[edit]

See the main article on this topic: 2021 U.S. Capitol riot

At least 37 members or associates of the Proud Boys were arrested in connection with the Capitol riot.[46] "[A]t least 65 Proud Boys affiliates joined an on-the-ground communications channel in Washington, led by four men accused of leading others in some of the most destructive, aggressive and earliest attacks to breach police lines…[46] "A confidential informant from the Proud Boys told the FBI the Proud Boys would have killed Mike Pence if given a chance."[47]

  • On January 8, 2021, the leader of the Hawaii chapter of the Proud Boys, Nick Ochs,[48] was charged with trespassing into a restricted building during the 2021 U.S. Capitol riot. Ochs is also a member of "Murder the Media",[49] a YouTube podcast.[50]
  • On January 13, 2021, self-described Proud Boy Eduard Florea[note 2] was arrested in New York City for making threats against Democrats.[52] In August 2021, Florea pleaded guilty to one count of transmitting threats to injure Senator Raphael G. Warnock, and one count of possessing ammunition after having been convicted of a felony.[53]
  • Also on January 13, 2021, Dominic Pezzola (a.k.a. "Spazzo"), who broke the first window in the Capitol riot, was arrested and charged.[54] He has also been charged with conspiracy along with fellow-PB, William Pepe.[55]
  • On January 15, 2021, the FBI charged self-declared Proud Boy Daniel Goodwyn with trespassing into a restricted building during the 2021 U.S. Capitol riot. During the riot, while in the Capitol building, Goodwyn was doxxed by Baked Alaska.[56]
  • On January 20, 2021, Joseph Biggs, yet another self-described Proud Boys leader,[57] former Infowars staffer, and an organizer of a controversial rally that took place in Portland, Oregon on August 17, 2019 called the "End Domestic Terrorism rallyWikipedia",[58] was arrested in Florida for his role in the Capitol riot and charged with obstructing an official proceeding before Congress, entering a restricted on the groups of the U.S. Capitol and disorderly conduct.[59][60]
  • A father-son pair of proud boys were arrested, Kevin “Tito” Tuck and his son Nathaniel A. Tuck, who are former and current police officers.[46] They are charged with 9 counts, including assault of police officers and theft of government property.[61]
  • Alleged PBs James Haffner and Ronald Loehrke were charged with civil disorder; Haffner was also charged with assaulting officers with a chemical spray.[62]
  • Joshua Pruitt was sentenced to 55 months in prison followed by 3 years of supervised release. He appeared to have attempted to confront Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer in a Capitol hallway, allegedly with intent to commit harm, but did not commit violence during the riot. His lengthy sentence was due to his lengthy criminal record, including assaulting police.[63]
  • William Chrestman was also sentenced to 55 months in prison. He is considered a low-ranking member but who none-the-less took a lead role during the riot, including threatening police with a two-foot axe handle.[64]

Proud hazing: the circle jerks[edit]

Second Degree: You must get the crap beaten out of you by at least five guys until you can name five breakfast cereals. If you hammer out, “Chex, Cheerios, Rice Krispies, Corn Flakes, and Special K” in a matter of seconds, you’re free to go. If you get flummoxed by the punches and cannot think straight, well, sorry, you’re going to get pounded.[10]

From Proud Boys to Poor Boys[edit]

Behold the master race.

In a 2020 presidential debate Donald Trump implicitly endorsed their violence by saying, "Proud Boys: Stand back and stand by."[65][66] In response, the media generally condemned Trump's remarks. On social media however, the concept to hijack the tag "Proud Boys" took off, resulting in various hashtags related to the Proud Boys getting hijacked by gay men,[67] calling themselves the "real Proud Boys". Notable participants include the official Twitter account of the Canadian Armed forces in the US.[68] In response, the leader of the Proud Boys, Enrique Tarrio, called it "hysterical" and said that he "didn't care who people sleep with",[67] appearing to miss the point of hijacking the name.

While calling out Donald Trump as a racist during a 2020 Presidential debate, the gaffe-prone Joe Biden erroneously — but appropriately — called them 'Poor Boys', but the name stuck:[69]

“”Abraham Lincoln here is one of the most racist presidents we've had in modern history. He pours fuel on every racist fire. He started off his campaign coming down those escalators saying he's going to get rid of those Mexican rapists. He banned Muslims because they are Muslims. He made everything worse across the board. He said about the Poor Boys, the last time we were on stage, he said I tell them to stand down and stand ready. Come on, this guy is a dog whistle about as big as a foghorn.

"Enrique Tarrio did nothing wrong!"[edit]

On January 27, 2021, the chicken-on-a-weathervane did a 180°. It was revealed that Tarrio had become a 'prolific' informant for local investigators and the FBI since 2012 after he was arrested "in a fraud case related to the relabeling and sale of stolen diabetes test kits", well before the start of his tenure as leader of the Poor Boys.[70] Tarrio entered into a plea deal, and "he cooperated with local and federal law enforcement, to aid in the prosecution of those running other, separate criminal enterprises, ranging from running marijuana grow houses in Miami to operating pharmaceutical fraud schemes."[70] Tarrio's cooperation also included working undercover on cases involving anabolic steroids, wholesale prescription narcotics, and human smuggling.[70] Tarrio admitted to Reuters that he would let police department know about Proud Boys' plans before rallies[70] (which is sensible if one is planning a peaceful rally), but since Tarrio was already a police informant, it takes on a different character that the more violent elements within the group might not appreciate.

In the fallout from the 2021 U.S. Capitol riot and the revelation that Tarrio is a stoolie, cracks in the Proud Boys structure have formed, with four chapters disaffiliating from the organization: Alabama, Oklahoma, Missouri and Las Vegas.[71] Despite this, Tarrio claimed not just that the organization was not splintering but that it could not splinter.[71]

FAFO: Fuck around and find out[edit]

“”I thought, 'What the fuck have you imbeciles done now?' They’re not the brightest bulbs in the tree. They’re not exactly sophisticated.
—Gavin McInnes on the Proud Boys at the Capitol riot[72]

On January 6, 2021, a bunch of Proud Boys "fucked around" by playing a significant role in the 2021 U.S. Capitol riot.[73][74] In the ensuing weeks, the Proud Boys "found out" the consequences of being an insurrectionist: about 20 members were charged with conspiracy and other crimes.[74]

In February 2021, the Proud Boys were declared a terrorist organization by Canada, which allows police to seize assets of the group and its members.[75] Oopsie Gavin, you're still a fuckin' hoser! Furthering their legal difficulties, the Proud Boys' ex-lawyer, Jason Lee Van Dyke, who owns the PB trademark revoked the right of the PBs to use it because of their violent actions and alleging that Tarrio's merchandise was "substandard".[76] The fight over the trademark could be entirely moot however because it could face cancellation due incorrect registration (the owner not being affiliated with the organization) or if the organization is declared illegal per se.[77]

After the riots, the Proud Boys enjoyed increasing scrutiny and elevated criminal charges from United States law enforcement as well. In court papers released in February 2021, prosecutors allege that, far from being mere participants, some of the Proud Boys coordinated and conspired certain elements of the riot, as well as obstructed and interfered with police officers protecting the Capitol.[78] In early February 2021, five Proud Boys, including the the self-described "sergeant-at-arms" for the Proud Boys Seattle chapter, Ethan Nordean (aka "Rufio Panman"), were arrested for their role in the riots on a joint conspiracy charge (with a footnote from the FBI anticipating more arrests in the future).[79][80] In addition, on February 3, 2021, prosecutors added "conspiracy to obstruct Congress" to Nick Ochs' charges,[81] adding to the list of other arrested Proud Boys (Dominic Pezzola and William Pepe) charged with conspiracy.[82]

In the short period between Tarrio's January 4 arrest and the January 6 Capitol riot, Nordean had been elected leader of the PBs.[83] It looks like the PBs will have to find another new leader due to the FBI's finding a passport in his house that did not belong to him and due to details uncovered about his communications with the PBs as to how to prevent the election certification on the election on the 6th.[83]

In June 2021, a rough transcript of audio messages by various Proud Boys members found on Nordean's cell phone was released as part of court proceedings against Nordean. The audio clips reveal that the organization descended into chaos, confusion, and disfunction following the January 6 insurrection.[84]

By April 9, 2021, the list of Proud Boys arrested for riot related crimes expanded to more than 20 in total (including two organizers in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania and North Carolina). At least three Proud Boys (Dominic Pezzola, William Pepe, William Chrestman) faced charges of assaulting or threatening to assault federal law enforcement officers. Another Proud Boy (Christopher Worell) was charged with allegedly using pepper spray against police officers.[85][86][87] It was noted by the New York Times that the Proud Boys, like many in the capitol riot, used their cell phones to document their criminal activities during the coup attempt on social media like Parler, providing plenty of self-owning footage for prosecutors to work with.[88]

On December 22, 2021, Matthew Greene became the first PB to plead guilty, to obstructing Congress and conspiring to obstruct law enforcement, both felonies.[89] Greene is also cooperating with prosecutors.[89]

The Proud Boys faced additional legal trouble when, on February 16, 2021, several members of Congress and the NAACP filed a lawsuit accusing the Proud Boys (and several other prominent riot participants) of violating the Ku Klux Klan ActWikipedia by conspiring to disenfranchise Black voters via their riot participation.[90][91] Adding to the Proud Boys' legal woes, on April 9, 2021, the Metropolitan African Methodist Episcopal Church,Wikipedia one of the historic Black churches where the Proud Boys destroyed Black Lives Matter signs during a December 12, 2020 rally in Washington D.C., won a default judgement against the Proud Boys and Enrique Tarrio. The lawsuit had accused Tarrio and the Proud Boys of theft, defacement of private property, trespass, and intentional destruction of religious property.[92][93][94]

As part of an effort by various police departments to root out officers with extremist ties, a Fresno, California police officer and Proud Boy, Rick Fitzgerald, was fired for his activities. He had participated in a November 2020 pro-Trump rally that turned violent. He had claimed that he quit the Proud Boys after that incident, but in 2021 he was still urging people to join extremist groups (Three Percenters and Patriot PrayerWikipedia).[95][96]

The Proud Boys had often sought to downplay their extreme elements, with McInness downplaying the group as a "men's club" that simply meets "in a bar once a month" and drinks beer "just like everyone else".[97] Although it was clears from the beginning that McInness's description was bullshit, the Proud Boys' participation in the riots revealed, clearly and unequivocally to everyone, the group's true extremist colors.[98]

In March 2022, Tarrio was charged with conspiracy in connection with the 2021 Capitol insurrection attempt.[99] He was quickly arrested and, in May 2022, denied pretrial release.[100]

On June 6 2022, the Justice Department charged Tarrio and four other Proud Boy leaders with seditious conspiracy,Wikipedia a far more serious tort than the conspiracy charges they were previously facing. At this date, the only other riot participants to receive this charge were several leaders of the Oath Keepers. [101]

In May 2023, Tarrio, Joseph Biggs, Nordean, and Rehl were found to be guilty of seditious conspiracy. The jury could not reach a verdict on Pezzola for seditious conspiracy, but found him guilty of other charges.[102] In August 2023, Biggs was sentenced to 17 years in prison for this conviction, at the time the second longest sentence handed down to a Capitol insurrection participant.[103] On that same date, Rehl was sentenced to 15 years in prison.[104] Pezzola was sentenced to 10 years one day later.[105] On the same day Pezzola was sentenced, Nordean was sentenced to 18 years in prison.[106] In September 2023, Tarrio was sentenced to 22 years in prison.[107]

Post-riot[edit]

Following the 2021 Capitol riot, the national organization of the Proud Boys has supposedly disbanded, leaving local chapters to stir up shit. Proud Boys have been menacing school board meetings in opposing face mask mandates and joining anti-vaccine mandate protests during the COVID pandemic.[108][109]

Since 2022, PBs have been menacing drag events, particularly Drag Queen Story Hour.[110][111]

Gallery[edit]

  • 2019 Proud Boys at a Pittsboro, NC rally in 2019 with Confederate flags and Pinochet did nothing wrong t-shirt: Jay Robert Thaxton (left) and Jeremy Bertino[112]

  • Proud Boys at the march preceding the 2021 U.S. Capitol riot; Boy in the center also has a Three Percenters militia patch

  • Enrique Tarrio - International Chairman Proud Boys.jpg

    Tarrio pretending that he runs a dignified organization

  • Proud Boys Joe Biggs and Ethan Nordean, both were charged at the 2021 riot

  • Jeremy Bertino wearing Proud Boys insigna and a RWDS (right wing death squad) patch, he was charged in the 2021 U.S. Capitol riot

  • Zach Rehl, leader of the Philadelphia chapter giving the "OK" sign, was seen at outside the Capitol on January 6. By March 17, Rehl was arrested by the FBI and charged with conspiracy for participating in the riot.[113][114]

Proud Boys Britannia[edit]

Taking Britain forward to the Dark Ages.

Proud Boys Britannia formerly known as Proud Boys UK is a largely irrelevant British-based spinoff, considered "an embarrassment" within the wider UK far-right movement due to its Fred Perry uniforms, rituals, and adolescent humour.[115] Originally founded as Proud Boys UK by former US Marine Paul Yates while living in Manchester, the group held a 2019 summer camp in Yorkshire attended by about 20 activists, turned up at a few Tommy Robinson demonstrations and engaged in a little light stickering before vanishing into even further obscurity for a couple of years.[116] During this wilderness period the group was most noteworthy for purchasing black-and-yellow Fred Perry polos for their North American brethren when the company, unhappy with the association, pulled them from the market there.[117] When the group later returned it had created a branch structure for its handful of activists. And although it now avoided public demonstrations[118] they occasionally meet up in small groups in pubs.[119] It did, however, achieve some notoriety calling Labour Party leader Keir Starmer a "paedophile/serial killer protector" and pushing the claim, later popularised by Boris Johnson, that he was responsible for the failure to prosecute Jimmy Savile.Wikipedia[120] As well as acting as a social club, the group posts childish and misogynist jokes and memes to the 2,500 subscribers to its Telegram channel.[121]

See also[edit]

External links[edit]

Notes[edit]

  1. ↑ I've wasted time
    I've wasted me
    So say I'm slow for my age
    A late bloomer
    Okay, I agree
    That I've been one rotten kid
    Some son, some pride and some joy
    But I'll get over these lousin' up
    Messin' up, screwin' up times

    You'll see, Ma, now comes the better part
    Someone's gonna make good
    Cross his stupid heart
    Make good and finally make you
    Proud of your boy

    Tell me that I've been a louse and loafer
    You won't get a fight here, no ma'am
    Say I'm a goldbrick, a goof-off, no good
    But that couldn't be all that I am[28]
  2. ↑ Florea had applied for membership but apparently had not yet taken the oath of membership[51] ("Hi, I'm [name]. I'm a Western chauvinist. I refuse to apologize for creating the modern world.").[18]:6

References[edit]

  1. ↑ Trump mentioned the Proud Boys, but who are they? “Proud Boys, stand back and stand by,” President Donald Trump said at Tuesday’s presidential debate when asked if he would condemn white supremacists groups. by Jeff Parrott (Sep 30, 2020, 2:50pm MDT) Deseret News.
  2. ↑ RWW News: Gavin McInnes' History of Violent Rhetoric by RWW Blog (Oct 15, 2018) YouTube.
  3. ↑ "Proud Boys founder says ‘corrupt leftwing media’ should apologise for January 6 riot" by Edward Helmore, Guardian, 2024 October 28
  4. ↑ People embrace rebranding of 'Proud Boys' to 'Poor Boys' after Biden misspeaks by Dominick Mastrangelo (10/22/20 10:38 PM EDT) The Hill.
  5. ↑ LGBT Twitter users tease far-right group by taking over Proud Boys hashtag The Guardian 5 October 2020
  6. ↑ Proud Boys, Southern Poverty Law Center.

    Their disavowals of bigotry are belied by their actions: rank-and-file Proud Boys and leaders regularly spout white nationalist memes and maintain affiliations with known extremists. They are known for anti-Muslim and misogynistic rhetoric.

  7. ↑ Jason Wilson, FBI now classifies far-right Proud Boys as 'extremist group', documents say. The Guardian, 19 November 2018.
  8. ↑ Canada Lists Proud Boys As A Terrorist Group, Alongside ISIS And Al-Qaida NPR 3 February 2021
  9. ↑ https://www.npr.org/2022/06/30/1108841462/new-zealands-government-classifies-the-proud-boys-as-a-terrorist-organization
  10. ↑ 10.0 10.1 Introducing: The Proud Boys by Gavin McInnes (September 15, 2016) Taki's Magazine.
  11. ↑ The fratty Proud Boys are the alt right's weirdest new phenomenon
  12. ↑ Facebook
  13. ↑ The Daily Shoah 150
  14. ↑ 14.0 14.1 Do You Want Bigots, Gavin? Because This Is How You Get Bigots
  15. ↑ 15.0 15.1 WE ARE NOT ALT-RIGHT
  16. ↑ Proud Boy lawyer demands alt-weeklies not call "western chauvinist fraternity" alt-right
  17. ↑ DailyBeastSuckMyDick by ProudBoys USA (Feb 21, 2018) YouTube (archived from April 12, 2019).
  18. ↑ 18.0 18.1 18.2 18.3 18.4 18.5 18.6 18.7 18.8 18.9 Proud Boys Meet-Up: Stations of the Congregation Document Cloud.
  19. ↑ Proud Boys facing sedition charges don't want jurors to see 'politically incorrect' guide to masturbation, slavery, 'housewives' by Laura Italiano (Jan 23, 2023, 4:33 PM) Business Insider.
  20. ↑ 626: White Haze by Zoe Chase (September 22, 2017) This American Life.
  21. ↑ Why do Nigerian Scammers Say They are from Nigeria? by Cormac Herley, Microsoft.
  22. ↑ The Death of the West by Patrick J. Buchanan (2002) St. Martin's Griffin. ISBN 0312285485.
  23. ↑ Buchanan Explained by Charles Krauthammer (March 1, 1992) The Washington Post.
  24. ↑ Patrick Buchanan: Unrepentant Bigot (February 27, 2012) Anti-Defamation League (archived from October 30, 2012).
  25. ↑ Why non-White people might advocate white supremacy by Philip Bump (May 8, 2023 at 2:48 p.m. EDT) The Washington Post.
  26. ↑ See the Wikipedia article on Islamic honorifics.
  27. ↑ Abo, n. and adj., Oxford English Dictionary.
  28. ↑ 28.0 28.1 Proud of Your Boy Genius.
  29. ↑ See the Wikipedia article on Aladdin.
  30. ↑ 30.0 30.1 How Hate Goes ‘Mainstream’: Gavin McInnes and the Proud Boys by Sharona Coutts (Aug 28, 2017, 3:27pm) Rewire News Group.
  31. ↑ Twitter
  32. ↑ Twitter Suspends Proud Boys And Founder Gavin McInnes Accounts Ahead Of Unite The Right Rally
  33. ↑ Twitter Shuts Down Accounts of Vice Co-Founder Gavin McInnes, Proud Boys Ahead of ‘Unite the Right’ Rally
  34. ↑ Clark County Proud Boy, former Patriot Prayer brawler Tusitala ‘Tiny’ Toese arrested in Washington by Eder Campuzano (Updated Aug 29, 2020; Posted Aug 29, 2020) The Oregonian.
  35. ↑ Republicans Are Adopting the Proud Boys: Before and after the Manhattan brawl, GOP figures defended and promoted the far-right group. It’s a valuable and dangerous bridge between fascism and mainstream politics. by Kelly Weill & Will Sommer (Updated 10.17.18 10:57AM ET / Published 10.16.18 4:43AM ET) Daily Beast.
  36. ↑ 36.0 36.1 36.2 Two Members of Proud Boys Convicted in Brawl Near Republican Club: The charges resulted from an altercation with anti-fascists after the group’s founder, Gavin McInnes, had spoken in Manhattan. by Colin Moynihan (Aug. 19, 2019) The New York Times.
  37. ↑ The man who attacked @iwriteok and broke his finger on Saturday is Travis Taylor, a Proud Boy previously identified by @TorchAntifa. https://torchantifa.org/dox-all-your-boys-part-6/ … See a comparison below between his face and tattoos between 2018 and this weekend. by @bellingcat (5:30 AM · Aug 25, 2020) Twitter (archived from August 30, 2020).
  38. ↑ Police arrest far-right protester who pointed gun at Portland rally by Conrad Wilson (Sept. 30, 2020 8:27 a.m.) Oregon Public Broadcasting.
  39. ↑ Self-proclaimed Proud Boy gets 10 years for 2020 protest crimes: Multnomah County deputy DA called Swinney a 'vigilante cowboy' by Hailey Dunn (Posted: Dec 13, 2021 / 11:42 AM EST / Updated: Dec 13, 2021 / 11:42 AM EST) WVNS-TV.
  40. ↑ Pro-Trump rally descends into chaos as Proud Boys roam D.C. looking to fight by Peter Hermann (Dec. 13, 2020 at 6:50 p.m. PST) The Washington Post.
  41. ↑ "Four People Stabbed and At Least 23 Arrested at Pro-Trump Rally in D.C." by Ashrap Khalil, Time, 2020 December 13th
  42. ↑ "Bowser Condemns Vandalism Of DC Churches By Proud Boys" by Michael O'Connell, Patch. 2020 Dec 14
  43. ↑ "Proud Boys leader arrested in the burning of Black Lives Matter banner, D.C. police say" by Peter Hermann and Martin Weil, Washington Post, 2021 Jan 4
  44. ↑ Proud Boys leader sentenced to more than 5 months for burning Black Lives Matter banner: Henry Tarrio, 37, known to followers as Enrique, admitted that he burned a Black Lives Matter banner taken from a historic Black church during a pro-Trump demonstration in December. by Pete Williams (Aug. 23, 2021, 12:24 PM PDT / Updated Aug. 23, 2021, 12:34 PM PDT) NBC News.
  45. ↑ Proud Boy leader Joseph Biggs sentenced to 17 years for Jan. 6 crimes by Rachel Weiner & Tom Jackman (August 31, 2023) The Washington Post.
  46. ↑ 46.0 46.1 46.2 Two Fla. police officers charged in new Proud Boys indictment in Capitol riot by Spencer Hsu (July 16, 2021) The Washington Post.
  47. ↑ Trump put Pence in more danger than we knew by Philip Bump (June 16, 2022 at 4:47 p.m. EDT) The Washington Post.
  48. ↑ Nicholas Ochs Ballotpedia.
  49. ↑ Journalists were attacked, threatened and detained during the Capitol siege by Brittany Shammas (Jan. 9, 2021 at 5:00 a.m. PST) The Washington Post. "'MURDER THE MEDIA,' someone carved into a door."
  50. ↑ Hawaii Proud Boy Leader Nick Ochs Busted in Capitol Riot by William Bredderman et al. (Updated Jan. 08, 2021 7:23PM ET / Published Jan. 08, 2021 3:36PM ET) Daily Beast.
  51. ↑ Proud Boys supporter pleads guilty to threatening Democratic Sen. Raphael Warnock: ‘Dead men can’t pass laws’ by Julian Mark (August 17, 2021 at 6:58 a.m. EDT) The Washington Post.
  52. ↑ Man arrested in Queens after FBI investigates 'threats to Democrats': sources by Anthony DiLorenzo (Posted at 7:58 AM, Jan 13, 2021; last updated 5:06 AM, Jan 13, 2021) PIX11.
  53. ↑ Proud Boys supporter pleads guilty to threatening Democratic Sen. Raphael Warnock: ‘Dead men can’t pass laws’ by Julian Mark (August 17, 2021) The Washington Post.
  54. ↑ Adam Rawnsley and Pilar Melendez, Feds Track Down Bearded Proud Boy Seen Smashing Capitol Window With Police Shield. The Daily Beast, 15 January 2021.
  55. ↑ Actions by Proud Boy at Capitol show ‘planning, determination, and coordination,’ U.S. alleges by Rachel Weiner & Spencer S. Hsu (Jan. 29, 2021 at 4:23 p.m. PST) The Washington Post.
  56. ↑ "SF web developer allegedly in livestream at Capitol riot found, arrested in Texas" by Katie Dowd, SFGate, 2021 Februrary 9
  57. ↑ Joe Biggs. Encyclopedia of American Loons, 15 August 2022.
  58. ↑ "ontroversial organizer of planned Portland demonstration speaks to KATU" by KATU News, KATU 2 ABC, 2019 August 16
  59. ↑ "Proud Boy organizer arrested in Florida for riot at Capitol", Associated Press / San Francisco Chronicle, 2021 January 20
  60. ↑ "Joe Biggs, Proud Boys Leader and Former Infowars Staffer, Arrested Over Capitol Riot" by Alexandra Garrett, Newsweek, 2021 January 20
  61. ↑ U.S. v Arthur Jackman et al. superseding indictment (Jul 16, 2021 at 11:42 AM) The Washington Post.
  62. ↑ Alleged Proud Boys associate charged in Capitol riot after FBI identified him in an August photo with Sidney Powell: Investigators partly identified the man using a Facebook posting showing a photo with him and one of Trump’s lawyers during the Sturgis motorcycle rally, court documents say. by Spencer S. Hsu (December 3, 2021) The Washington Post.
  63. ↑ Proud Boys member who instigated Capitol mob, menaced Schumer sentenced to 55 months: Joshua Pruitt also faced down police in the Crypt and Visitors Center but did not assault officers by Tom Jackman & Rachel Weiner (August 29, 2022) The Washington Post.
  64. ↑ Proud Boy who wielded ax handle and ‘fueled’ Jan. 6 riot sentenced: William Chrestman, initially unrepentant Proud Boys ‘tool’ and member of J6 Prison Choir, told court he was ‘sorry that police and people were injured and scarred by Jan. 6.’ by Spencer S. Hsu (January 12, 2024 at 6:12 p.m. EST) The Washington Post.
  65. ↑ Only the Proud Boys can take pride in Trump’s debate hooliganism by Dana Milbank (September 29, 2020 at 8:57 p.m. PDT) The Washington Post.
  66. ↑ Trump’s Proud Boys “Stand By” Debate Moment Is Snowballing by Caleb Ecarma (Sept. 30, 2020) Vanity Fair
  67. ↑ 67.0 67.1 Gay men have taken over the Proud Boys Twitter hashtag, by Alaa Elassar (Oct. 4th, 2020) CNN
  68. ↑ Our #ProudBoys Love is Love ❤️🇨🇦🏳️‍🌈 by @RoyalCanNavy (Oct. 4th, 2020) Twitter (archived from November 15, 2020).
  69. ↑ Even if Joe Biden misspoke about 'Proud Boys,' social media embraces 'poor boys' by Joshua Bote (Published 8:56 a.m. ET Oct. 23, 2020; Updated 10:46 a.m. ET Oct. 23, 2020) USA Today.
  70. ↑ 70.0 70.1 70.2 70.3 Proud Boys leader Enrique Tarrio was an FBI informant: Extremist leader repeatedly worked undercover for investigators after his arrest in 2012, former prosecutor and court files reveal by Aram Roston (27 Jan 2021 11.35 EST) Reuters via The Guardian.
  71. ↑ 71.0 71.1 As fractures emerge among Proud Boys, experts warn of a shift toward extremist violence by Marissa J. Lang (Feb. 26, 2021 at 3:00 a.m. PST) The Washington Post.
  72. ↑ The Secret History of Gavin McInnes: In the ’90s, he played punk rock and helped create Vice magazine. Five years ago, he founded a very different organization: the Proud Boys, the far-right group that came to personify the vilest tendencies of Trump’s America. A former Vice editor interviews one of our era’s most troubling extremists. by Adam Leith Gollner (June 29, 2021) Vanity Fair.
  73. ↑ "Arrested in Capitol Riot: Organized Militants and a Horde of Radicals" By Jennifer Valentino-DeVries, Grace Ashford, Denise Lu, Eleanor Lutz, Alex Leeds Matthews and Karen Yourish, New York Times, 2021 February 4
  74. ↑ 74.0 74.1 Proud Boys conspired in multiple encrypted channels ahead of Jan. 6 riot, fearing criminal gang charges, U.S. alleges by Spencer S. Hsu & Rachel Weiner (March 18, 2021 at 5:08 p.m. PDT) The Washington Post.
  75. ↑ Canada declares the Proud Boys a terrorist group by Amanda Coletta (Feb. 3, 2021 at 9:43 a.m. PST) The Washington Post.
  76. ↑ Proud Boys Dealt Another Blow as Feds Crack Down: The Proud Boys’ former lawyer says he’s taking the name back. by Will Sommer (Updated Feb. 03, 2021 10:24AM ET; Published Feb. 03, 2021 4:57AM ET) The Daily Beast.
  77. ↑ Proud Boys™ – far-right group's trademark could face cancellation, legal experts claim World Trademark Review (archived from January 8, 2021).
  78. ↑ "Did the Proud Boys Help Coordinate the Capitol Riot? Yes, U.S. Suggests" by Alan Feuer, New York Times, 2021 Feb 5
  79. ↑ "Five people associated with Proud Boys arrested for Capitol riot on conspiracy charges" by David Shortell, CNN, 2021 February 11
  80. ↑ "5 charged with conspiracy in Capitol riots; at least 2 associated with Proud Boys leaders" by Kevin Johnson and Kim Strong, USA Today, 2021 February 11
  81. ↑ "Texas Man, Self-Proclaimed Leader of Honolulu Proud Boys Now Indicted by a Federal Grand Jury for Conspiracy to Obstruct Congress", press release, Department of Justice, US Attorney's Office, District of Columbia, 2021 February 3
  82. ↑ "Proud Boys Charged With Conspiracy in Capitol Riot" by Alan Feuer, New York Times, 2021 January 29
  83. ↑ 83.0 83.1 Prosecutors fill in details of Proud Boys assault on Capitol: Members are alleged to have dressed "incognito" on Jan. 6, then fanned out to prevent law enforcement from identifying them en masse. by Kyle Cheney & Josh Gerstein (03/01/2021 05:18 PM EST; Updated: 03/01/2021 09:56 PM EST) Politico.
  84. ↑ Marshall Cohen, Proud Boys descended into dysfunction and finger-pointing as members were arrested in US Capitol riot, new messages show. CNN, 15 June 2021.
  85. ↑ "Proud Boys Leaders in Four States Are Charged in Capitol Riot" by Adam Goldman and Alan Feuer, New York Times, 2021 March 17
  86. ↑ "Conspiracy Charges Bring Proud Boys' History Of Violence Into Spotlight" by Tom Dreisbach, NPR, 2021 April 9
  87. ↑ "Charges filed against Proud Boys member who allegedly pepper-sprayed police during Capitol insurrection" by Marshall Cohen
  88. ↑ "Capitol Rioters Face the Consequences of Their Selfie Sabotage" by Elizabeth Williamson, New York Times, 2021 April 6
  89. ↑ 89.0 89.1 Proud Boy pleads guilty to felony charge in Capitol riot by Rachel Weiner (December 22, 2021) The Washington Post.
  90. ↑ "10 more Congress members join lawsuit accusing Trump, Giuliani, Proud Boys, Oath Keepers of Capitol riot conspiracy" by Dan Mangan, CNBC, 2021 April 7
  91. ↑ Case 1:21-cv-00400, United States District Court For the District of Columbia, Filed 2021 February 16, archived at Documentcloud.org
  92. ↑ "The Black Church That Could Bankrupt the Proud Boys" by Tess Owen and Greg Walters, Vice News, 2021 April 8
  93. ↑ "Proud Boys Lose by Default in Historic Black Church" by Adam Klasfeld, Law and Crime, 2021 April 9
  94. ↑ "METROPOLITAN AFRICAN METHODIST EPISCOPAL CHURCH v. PROUD BOYS INTERNATIONAL, L.L.C., Complaint, Superior Court of the District of Columbia, dated 2021 January 4, archived at Lawyerscommittee.org
  95. ↑ California police fire officer who was a Proud Boy, saying they have no tolerance for 'hate groups' by Hannah Knowles (April 11, 2021 at 4:00 a.m. PDT) The Washington Post.
  96. ↑ Fresno police union slams investigation that led to firing of cop with Proud Boy ties by Carmen George (April 10, 2021 08:43 AM, Updated April 10, 2021 04:30 PM) The Fresno Bee.
  97. ↑ "Proud Boys founder denies inciting violence, responds to whether he feels responsible for group's behavior" by ABC News, 2018 December 12
  98. ↑ "Proud Boys splintering after Capitol riot, revelations about leader. Will more radical factions emerge?" by Will Carless, USA Today, 2021 February 12
  99. ↑ Longtime Proud Boys leader Enrique Tarrio charged with conspiracy in Jan. 6 attack on Capitol by Spencer S. Hsu & Devlin Barrett (March 8, 2022) The Washington Post.
  100. ↑ Ex-Proud Boys leader to remain jailed until Capitol riot trial."
  101. ↑ "Proud Boys leader and top members charged with seditious conspiracy over January 6" by Hannah Rabinowitz and Katelyn Polantz, CNN, June 6 2022
  102. ↑ Four Proud Boys members found guilty of seditious conspiracy in Jan. 6 trial: The jury remains split on whether a fifth member of the group is guilty of seditious conspiracy and will continue to deliberate. by Ryan J. Reilly (May 4, 2023) NBC News.
  103. ↑ "Proud Boys leader Joe Biggs sentenced to 17 years in January 6 case" by Hannah Rabinowitz and Holmes Lybrand, CNN, 2023 August 31
  104. ↑ "Former Proud Boys leaders Joseph Biggs, Zachary Rehl sentenced for Jan. 6 sedition" by Alexander Mallin, ABC News, 2023 August 31
  105. ↑ "Proud Boy Dominic Pezzola who stormed US Capitol jailed for 10 years" by Bernd Debusmann Jr, BBC News, 2023 September 1
  106. ↑ "Proud Boy convicted of helping spearhead Capitol attack ties Jan. 6 sentence record with 18 years" by Lindsay Whitehurst, AP News, 2023 September 1
  107. ↑ Daniel Barnes and Ryan J. Reilly, Former Proud Boys leader Enrique Tarrio gets 22 years, longest Jan. 6 sentence yet. NBC News, 5 September 2023.
  108. ↑ [Three Schools Forced Into Lockdown After Anti-Masker Proud Boys Try to Infiltrate by Blake Montgomery (Sep. 04, 2021 5:38PM ET) Daily Beast.
  109. ↑ With Trump in the rearview mirror, Proud Boys offer muscle at rallies against vaccine mandates, masks by Will Carless (Published 5:00 a.m. ET Sept. 8, 2021; Updated 7:57 p.m. ET Sept. 8, 2021) USA Today.
  110. ↑ Proud Boys crashed Drag Queen Story Hour at a local library. It was part of a wider movement by Brandon Tensley (July 21, 2022) CNN.
  111. ↑ Protesters are bloodied and arrested at NYC Drag Story Hour: Protesters, some of whom appear to be Proud Boys members, clashed with counterprotesters at a Drag Story Hour hosted by N.Y. Attorney General Letitia James. by Matt Lavietes (March 20, 2023, 9:24 AM PDT) NBC News.
  112. ↑ North Carolina ‘Proud Boy’ arrested in DC was a Marine who may have Cherry Point ties by Calvin Shomaker (Published 4:32 p.m. ET Jan. 8, 2021; Updated 12:48 p.m. ET Jan. 10, 2021) The Daily News, Jacksonville, North Carolina.
  113. ↑ Insurrection at the Capitol: The man caught on video breaking a window at the Capitol with a riot shield is a member of the Proud Boys who goes by the alias "Spazzo." by Tess Owen & Mack Lamoureux (January 12, 2021, 3:38pm) Vice.
  114. ↑ "Proud Boys Leaders in Four States Are Charged in Capitol Riot" by Adam Goldman and Alan Feuer, New York Times, 2021 March 17
  115. ↑ CASE FILE: Proud Boys Britannia Hope Not Hate
  116. ↑ State of Hate 2020: Far Right Terror Goes Global Hope Not Hate
  117. ↑ Proud Boys in U.K. Buying Fred Perry Polo Shirts to Ship to U.S. by Jacob Jarvis (30 September 2020) Newsweek
  118. ↑ State of Hate 2022: On The March Again Hope Not Hate
  119. ↑ State of Hate 2023: Rhetoric, Racism & Resentment Hope Not Hate
  120. ↑ Far right celebrates after Johnson repeats ‘Savile slur’ in parliament by Mark Townsend (5 February 2022) The Observer
  121. ↑ State of Hate 2024: Pessimism, Decline & the Rising Radical Right Hope Not Hate
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