Proud Boys leader charged for role in US Capitol riot
March 8, 2022
Enrique Tarrio was indicted Tuesday along with five other members of the far-right group. The charges are among the most serious leveled against the more than 775 suspects arrested so far.
Enrique Tarrio is charged with planning and directing fellow Proud Boys during the attack on the US CapitolImage: Chris Tuite/ZUMAPRESS.com/picture alliance
Tarrio was charged with conspiracy to obstruct an official proceeding, obstruction of an official proceeding, and two counts each of assaulting, resisting or impeding certain officers and destruction of government property for his role in the January 6 riot, according to US Attorney for the District of Columbia Matthew Graves.
If convicted of all charges, he could face up to 20 years in prison.
Though Tarrio was not physically present when supporters of former President Donald Trump attacked the building in an attempt to keep lawmakers from certifying Joe Biden as the 46th president of the United States, authorities say he "led the advance planning and remained in contact with other members of the Proud Boys during their breach of the Capitol."
He reportedly claimed credit for January 6 on social media and in encrypted chats.
Tarrio met with Oath Keepers militia leader before attack
Prosecutors say that, on December 30, 2020, an unnamed individual sent Tarrio a nine-page document titled "1776 Returns," which outlined plans to occupy "crucial buildings" in DC, including the Capitol and government offices around it. The document called for getting "as many people as possible" to participate in order to "show our politicians 'We the People' are in charge," according to the US attorney's indictment.
"The revolution is more important than anything," the person forwarding the document wrote. According to the indictment, Tarrio replied: "That's what every waking moment consists of. ... I'm not playing games."
Rhodes and nine members of his group were arrested and charged with seditious conspiracy on January 13, 2022, the most serious charges that the US Department of Justice (DOJ) has brought against anyone involved in the event so far.
Who are the Proud Boys?
The Proud Boys describe themselves as a politically incorrect men's club for "Western chauvinists," with members frequently engaging in street brawls with antifascist activists at rallies and protests around the country. The Southern Poverty Law Center (SPLC), a legal advocacy outfit, has labeled the Proud Boys a hate group.
Several Proud Boys entered the Capitol building during the January 6 insurrection after smashing windows and forcing open doors. Prosecutors say members of the group arranged to communicate using specific frequencies on Chinese-made Baofeng radios, which can be programmed for use on hundreds of frequencies, making it difficult for outsiders to eavesdrop.
Tarrio's arrest is further evidence that the DOJ is methodically pursuing convictions against the leaders of extremist groups whose members are suspected of planning and attacking the Capitol. The charges against Tarrio and his co-defendants highlight the DOJ's attempt to differentiate between those who orchestrated the attack and hundreds of Trump supporters at the scene that day.
So far, more than 775 people have been arrested in connection with the events of that day. More than three dozen members of the Proud Boys are among those arrested to date.
Tarrio, 38, appeared in a virtual federal court hearing in his hometown of Miami Tuesday afternoon.
That case is tentatively slated to go to trial on May 18.
Looking back at the US Capitol riot
On January 6, 2021, supporters of Donald Trump stormed the US Capitol, refusing to accept the confirmation of Joe Biden's election as president. Investigations into the riot are ongoing.
Image: Allison Bailey/NurPhoto/picture alliance
Pro-Trump crowd gathers outside US Capitol
On January 6, thousands of supporters of former President Donald Trump flocked to the US Capitol, waving flags and claiming the election had been stolen from their political idol. Later, some 800 protesters stormed the iconic building, hunting down lawmakers, beating up police officers and leaving a trail of destruction. Five people died in connection with the riot and dozens were injured.
Image: Leah Millis/REUTERS
Trump remains defiant
Many observers later said the riot marked an attempt to overthrow the government, instigated or orchestrated by the former president. A select committee of the US House of Representatives has begun investigating the events, and Trump's possible role in them. For his part, Trump has claimed there was "love in the air" on January 6.
Image: Jacquelyn Martin/AP Photo/picture alliance
Legitimate protests?
The Capitol riot sparked global outrage. Many Republicans still, however, say the incident was a legitimate means of protest against what they claim was a rigged election. Some Republicans have even staged rallies outside US prisons in support of jailed rioters. The exact interpretation of the January 6 events will certainly have a big impact on the US midterm elections in November 2022.
Image: Brent Stirton/Getty Images
More than 700 charged
Hundreds of individuals are facing prosecution over their role in the January 6 attack. So far, over 50 people have been sentenced for their actions on that day. Many left a slew of evidence on social media, boasting of their crimes, which has helped in handing down convictions. Defendants willing to plead guilty can hope to receive a reduced sentence.
Image: Brent Stirton/Getty Images
Proud Boys under growing scrutiny
The city of Washington, D.C, is suing members of the right-wing extremist group Proud Boys, loyal Trump supporters, to recoup damages for the Capitol attack. Authorities have accused the group's leaders of having conspired "to terrorize the District of Columbia" in "a coordinated act of domestic terrorism." Criminal charges have already been brought against several Proud Boys members.
Image: Alex Edelman/AFP/Getty Images
Panel probes role of firebrand radio host
Radio host and conspiracy theorist Alex Jones is considered a key instigator of the Capitol riot. He drummed up support for the pro-Trump march in Washington, calling for a million people to turn up and protest against allegedly corrupt Democratic Party. The congressional panel investigating the events of January 6 has found Jones helped finance the rally.
Image: Jon Cherry/Getty Images
Jacob Chansley, 'QAnon Shaman,' jailed
Images of Jacob Chansley, a topless, tattooed rioter wearing a striking, horned headdress, went around the globe. He soon became a symbol of the January 6 attack. Now, the self-proclaimed "QAnon Shaman" and conspiracy theorist from Phoenix, Arizona, has pleaded guilty and been sentenced to 3 1/2 years in jail.
Image: Win McNamee/Getty Images
Police officers traumatized
Capitol Police officer Aquilino Gonell broke down as he rewatched footage of the deadly riot during a hearing of the congressional panel investigating the attack in July. That day, Gonell recalls, he thought "this is how I'm going to die, defending this entrance." One of Gonell's fellow police officers was killed in the Capitol riot, and four others committed suicide in the months that followed.
Image: Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images
Security failures led to Capitol storming
The reason die-hard Trump supporters managed to force their way into the Capitol is that US security agencies were unprepared. The US Senate found that despite warning signs of a potential attack, the police leadership failed to act: National Guard reinforcements were called in too late, and the FBI and the Department of Homeland Security downplayed the threat of violence.
Image: Al Drago/Getty Images
Is a Trump comeback possible?
Many political analysts predict Donald Trump will run again in the 2024 presidential election. While his supporters would be elated, critics would surely regard this as a nightmare come true. Until now, Trump has weathered practically all political scandals — not even his role in the January 6 Capitol attack seems to have undermined a potential comeback.
