The #ProudBoys Are Plotting a Comeback. And They Want Revenge
Fresh out of federal prison, former Proud Boys leader #EnriqueTarrio suggests he’s still in charge as the #FarRight organization looks to regroup.
by Tess Owen
Jan 23, 2025 11:25 AM
Excerpt: "'The Proud Boys are not terrorist masterminds. These are not the brightest #neofascists out there,' said Jon Lewis, a research fellow at George Washington University’s Program on Extremism. 'But they are committed to the cause. They are single-minded in this mission now: for revenge, for retribution. And as we’ve seen before, they are willing to go across state lines and use violence in furtherance of their goals.'
"An analysis of Proud Boys’ social media channels by the Global Project Against Hate and Extremism identified a surge in online activity following the January 6 pardons, including discussions of ramping up real-world activism to help further the Trump administration's agenda. 'Posts from Proud Boys groups reveal an emboldened network, with members fantasizing about mass deportation schemes and threatening to escalate their attacks during #PrideMonth,' the GPAHE said in a statement. 'These developments point to a broader alignment between extremist groups and the Trump regime, raising urgent concerns about public safety and the normalization of far-right violence.' A North Carolina chapter, via its Telegram channel, proposed carrying out 'bount[ies on illegals.' A chapter in upstate New York gleefully circulated a rumor that Immigration and Customs Enforcement was offering $750 rewards to turn in undocumented #immigrants.
"In the years since the Capitol riot, as dozens of Proud Boy members and leaders copped charges for the insurrection, the group became increasingly elusive and unpredictable. They pivoted away from large-scale public demonstrations—which would often involve 100 or so Proud Boys descending on a city, clad in yellow and black, reeking of beer, looking for media attention and fights—and instead embedded themselves into hyperlocal culture wars across the country, in many cases aligning themselves with #ChristianNationalists. They started showing up to small protests against vaccines, crashed school board meetings, and intimidated attendees at #drag brunches. For the most part, they stayed away from cities or towns where they were likely to encounter opposition.
"Though they mobilized in a few instances in support of Trump ahead of the 2024 election, it was, overall, fairly lackluster, especially compared to 2020. This drove speculation that the gang was on its last legs.
"Then, on Monday, as Trump was taking the oath of office, more than 100 uniformed Proud Boys marched through the streets of Washington, DC, led by their south-Florida chapter.
"It was a striking scene—one that seemed intended to send a clear message: 'We’re back.'"
https://www.wired.com/story/proud-boys-comeback-revenge/?utm_source=firefox-newtab-en-us
#USPol #Fascists #Nazis #ICE #FuckNazis #NoPlaceForHate #GlobalProjectAgainstHateAndExtremism
