#POYB

[justinspoliticalcorner]

The Proud Boys are back: How the far-right domestic terrorist group is rebuilding to rally behind Trump

Aram Roston at Reuters:

A dark SUV cruised past former President Donald Trump’s supporters near his Bedminster golf club in New Jersey on a windy April afternoon. Billowing from the vehicle were three flags: one for the Trump campaign, two others with the initials “PB” – the insignia of the far-right Proud Boys movement. Through the open windows, three Proud Boys flashed the “OK” sign with their hands, a gesture often associated with white supremacy and the far right. Trump’s fans cheered. Four men dressed in the signature black-and-yellow shirts of the Proud Boys spilled out of the SUV and began glad-handing the crowd like homecoming heroes. The Proud Boys are back. Four years after the failed effort to overturn Trump’s 2020 electoral defeat, the violent all-male extremist group that led the storming of Congress on Jan. 6, 2021, is rebuilding and regaining strength as Trump campaigns to return to the White House, according to interviews with eight Proud Boys, two U.S. law enforcement officials and four experts who track the group’s online activity.

Since the Jan. 6 Capitol riot, four former Proud Boys leaders have been convicted in federal court of seditious conspiracy, each sentenced to 15 or more years in prison. At least another 70 members were charged with participating in the violence. But that crackdown hasn’t stopped the Proud Boys. Some Proud Boys say they are preparing to emerge once again as a physical force for Trump, drawn to his hardline nationalism and convinced their leaders will be pardoned if he wins. Trump himself promises to pardon convicted Jan. 6 rioters if he’s elected. After last Thursday’s historic guilty verdict against Trump, an Ohio Proud Boys chapter vowed “war” and posted a video of Proud Boy street brawls that ended with the message, “Fighting solves everything.” A Miami chapter said, “Now, more than ever, we are recruiting!” Some posted images of the upside-down American flag symbolizing the “Stop the Steal” movement that falsely claims Trump won the 2020 election. One Proud Boy told Reuters that America is in a period of “calm before the storm.”

The group’s main Telegram channel, however, posted a message urging Proud Boys to stay calm and not get drawn into a trap and risk arrest. “Trump is, of course, getting railroaded but we will not be walking into any honey pots over this.” In recent weeks, the group has become more prominent at pro-Trump events, highlighting the risk of renewed violence in this year’s presidential election. Dozens of Proud Boys – some in body armor and helmets – marked the third anniversary of the Jan. 6 insurrection with a show of force at the statehouse in Columbus, Ohio. On April 20, nearly a dozen gathered at a rally for Trump’s Republican campaign in Wilmington, North Carolina.  More recently, groups of Proud Boys from two chapters mixed with tens of thousands of Trump supporters at a campaign rally in Wildwood, New Jersey, in May.

On a boardwalk near the entrance of the Wildwood rally, several Proud Boys identified themselves as members of the “New Jersey State” chapter. One said they were there to provide security and stop agitators from “disrespecting or assaulting everybody.” Inscribed on his wraparound sunglasses were the initials “POYB” – short for “Proud of Your Boy.” He wore a ring with the initials “PB” and a black shirt with the yellow laurel wreath of the Proud Boys. Three men from another chapter greeted them, their faces hidden by gaiter masks. The re-emergence of the Proud Boys at Trump’s political rallies and events coincides with polls showing a majority of Americans fearing political violence will flare around November’s election. It also comes when Trump’s use of incendiary rhetoric is inspiring his supporters to target his opponents – including judges, prosecutors and political rivals – in a wave of threats that’s unprecedented in modern American politics.

Trump himself has not ruled out the possibility of political violence if he loses in November. “If we don’t win, you know, it depends,” he said when asked by Time magazine in April if he expected violence after the election. If he’s jailed or put under house arrest, “I’m not sure the public would stand for it,” he said in a Fox News interview that aired on Sunday. “At a certain point there’s a breaking point.” Before the last election, Trump told the Proud Boys to “stand back and stand by.” Three months later, federal prosecutors say, the group’s leaders plotted and led the insurrection of the U.S. Capitol. Trump’s baseless, rigged-election claims inspired the gathering, and Trump himself urged the assembled crowd to march on the Capitol as Congress certified Democrat Joe Biden’s victory.

A spokesperson for Trump did not respond to questions for this story about his rhetoric, Jan. 6 and the Proud Boys. As the Proud Boys regroup, they’ve made changes designed to make them less vulnerable to law enforcement scrutiny, including doing away with layers of top leadership, according to interviews with members. The Proud Boys now operate with self-governing chapters in more than 40 states, with little apparent central coordination, members said. While the group’s structure has changed, its Canadian founder remains an inspirational figure to today’s Proud Boys. Gavin McInnes, a British-born far-right commentator who lives in New York, announced his resignation from the Proud Boys in 2018. But he remains deeply involved with the group, according to interviews with Proud Boys.

[...]

After McInnes stepped down, his successor, Henry “Enrique” Tarrio, raised the Proud Boys’ profile, pulling them from the fringe of the far-right toward the center of Trump-era Republican politics. Tarrio, a Floridian of Afro-Cuban descent, was sentenced last September to 22 years in prison for seditious conspiracy, defined as an effort by two or more people to overthrow the government or use force to hinder its operations, and other charges related to the Capitol riot. He has appealed.

Two criminal defense attorneys for Tarrio did not respond to emailed questions and phone calls. In the past, McInnes, Tarrio and a group of leaders dubbed “Elders” spoke publicly on the group’s behalf, set the agenda and guided its confrontations with left-wing groups around the country. They sat atop a formal structure and could disband Proud Boy chapters or expel members. Now, members say, the chapters are largely independent of each other and ban communications with the media. Most members who spoke to Reuters for this report did so on condition of anonymity. The group’s resilience has surprised some extremism experts. “The amazing thing is that so many people from the Proud Boys can be in jail and yet you have these active chapters,” said Heidi Beirich, co-founder of the nonprofit Global Project Against Hate and Extremism. “Traditionally when the head of a neo-Nazi or white supremacist group goes to jail or dies, the organization will collapse, but that does not seem to be happening with the Proud Boys.”

[...]

During the Trump administration, the Proud Boys engaged in large-scale street brawls with antifa – antifascists – and other leftist groups across the country, typically by taunting demonstrators to instigate a fight. They adopted the slogan “Fuck Around And Find Out,” and emblazoned the letters “FAFO” on hats and t-shirts. Some historians compare the Proud Boys to fascist European militias of the 1920s and 1930s such as the Brownshirts, a Nazi paramilitary group that helped bring Hitler to power in Germany. Proud Boys say they’re nothing like the Brownshirts and bear no resemblance to fascists. But street violence and extreme nationalism are features of both groups. In the weeks before the Capitol riots, some wore a patch inscribed with “RWDS,” short for “Right Wing Death Squad,” a term used to describe Central and South American paramilitaries who supported right-wing governments and dictatorships. [...]

After Trump left the White House, the Proud Boys turned to America’s culture wars. They clashed with supporters of abortion rights and vaccine mandates, and harassed organizers of Drag Queen Story Hours, where female impersonators read at libraries or bookstores to children. Fights often ensued. Since the 2021 Capitol attack, Reuters identified 29 incidents of political violence involving the Proud Boys, almost all of them centered around social issues. All but one of the eight cases in 2023 involved clashes between Proud Boys and left-wing activists at demonstrations supporting LGBTQ+ rights. The tally was based largely on news reports and court records of fights, assaults and other physical confrontations. This year, the Proud Boys have returned to politics. In the first three months of 2024, there have been far fewer Proud Boys public events than in the same period last year. But half of them have been pro-Trump and the rest have been political in nature, related to guns or immigration, said Kieran Doyle of the Armed Conflict Location & Event Data Project, a U.S.-based nonprofit that monitors political violence.

On April 24, Proud Boys founder McInnes appeared at Columbia University’s pro-Palestinian protests. He told Reuters that the Proud Boys were not getting involved in the anti-Israel unrest, saying he was there to “ridicule” liberals by pretending to be a left-wing journalist. It didn’t work, he said, because people saw him and posted alerts on social media. “They recognized me and were scared.” There’s no authoritative count of Proud Boy members. McInnes claims there are about 5,000, down from 8,000 during Trump’s presidency but up from lows after the Capitol riot arrests. Official estimates of the Proud Boys’ strength vary widely, from 300 to 3,000 members, said a law enforcement source who has monitored the group. Reuters could not independently corroborate its numbers. Some former Proud Boys have abandoned the group for other, more overtly racist and violent groups, including the neo-Nazi Blood Tribe and the underground “Active Club” scene, a white supremacist male movement, one Proud Boy told Reuters.

Reuters has an informative article about far-right domestic terrorist group Proud Boys is rebuilding to rally behind convicted felon Donald Trump.

After the January 6th Insurrection, the group turned towards right-wing culture war items to launch protests, such as COVID mitigation measures (esp. vaccine mandates), drag story hours, and abortion access.

Read the full article at Reuters.

[pooyie]

#Repost @theconservative411 ・・・ What a thoughtful thing for the President to do! Please “Like” and “Follow” our Page! #TheConservative411 #Trump #MAGA #AmericaFirst #Trump2020 #KeepAmericaGreat #America #Conservative #TrumpMemes #DonaldTrump #Censorship #POTUS #Qanon #TheGreatAwakening #TheStorm #Midterms #USA #WalkAway #POYB #InfoWars #SpaceForce #DonaldTrumpJr #LatinosForTrump #Latinas4Trump #HispanicsForTrump #RepublicanParty #BlacksForTrump #CandaceOwens #Kanye #GetOutTheVote https://www.instagram.com/p/Bn_g6_kF5hCdwYtJ5iYpS8lbVQ4w1oA4RUYg600/?utm_source=ig_tumblr_share&igshid=1i0mdr5uq1iwz

[gilbertfonticoba]

I don't owe my loyalty to nobody but those that I never had to question theirs! #GilbertFonticona #POYB https://www.instagram.com/p/BtWDkAWg7Jl/?utm_source=ig_tumblr_share&igshid=7p8auwn3t9xf

[proudboysdeutschland]

www.proudboysdeutschland.de

[chaddavisphotography]

November 28, 2020 - St. Paul, Minn. -- "Proud Boys" confront counter protesters outside the Minnesota Governor's Mansion where "Stop The Steal" protesters were holding a rally.

[sergiomichelofficial]

Stay classy America! . . . 🌴💪🇺🇸😎 #guitarraelectrica #guitarshow #guitarras #guitar #music #musiclover #fenderguitars #fenderstratocaster #maga #kag #gentlemen #gentlemenfashion #poyb #proudboys #hardrock #TropD #musicmonday https://www.instagram.com/p/CER6Y4Ol1sz/?igshid=51egly6b8xpg

[horrorhouse]

Gavin McInnes makes some excellent points here.

1. The Proud Boys had nothing to do with Charlottesville. They weren’t involved and McInnes denounced the event weeks before it even happened. Event organizer Jason Kessler tried to infiltrate the Proud Boys Virginia chapter and recruit and even tried to recruit Gavin but when the even was taking shape and Gavin learned it was a white nationalist rally, he booted Jason from Proud Boys and said they wouldn’t have anything to do with it. Likewise, Proud Boys’ Girls did not sanction the event and were not connected.

2. Alex Fields, Jr. is responsible for the terrible events that unfolded and he IS a domestic terrorist. There are many other groups to blame for the events Friday night and Saturday morning (the organizers, Jason Kessler, Antifa, the media), but as far as who’s to blame for the death of Heather Heyer, that’s Fields, Jr. only.

3. Charlottesville, VA vice-mayor Wes Bellamy is part of a group called Melanoid Nation, a racist hate group targeting white people. Gee, doesn’t that sound familiar? This is why Trump brought up hate “from many sides”.

4. Removing/destroying statues is like burning books - it politicizes apolitical people. That includes people who are mentally unstable or those who have violent tendencies.

We need to disavow the alt-right and get back to socially liberal, fiscally conservative values.

[bastardworks]

[cencalpatriot]

#poyb #threePercenter #fafo

[petepetepete]

I made a loaf of sandwich bread, using a recipe from @kingarthurflour . It’s weird; in some ways this feels like a bigger-than-normal accomplishment, because it’s relatively mundane. Can’t wait to try it! (at Chatsworth, California) https://www.instagram.com/p/B_y1-A-pOyb/?igshid=nbvbh2pdxqp1

[andystepanian]

Trying to achieve balance. An hour of cross-country bike sprints while taking calls from reporters, plotting the Proud Boys downfall, and making sure their cult leader Gavin McInnis can’t get into Australia. #uhuru #poyb #gavinmcinnes #antifa #pushback (at Edgewood Preserve Mountain Bike Trails) https://www.instagram.com/p/Bqa7CI8Dtnh/?utm_source=ig_tumblr_share&igshid=1ddlmei75agxf

[gilbertfonticoba]

HE NEEDS TO DO THIS MORE! use the bully pulpit @realdonaldtrump they need to be a in jail this was a coup da ta! #jesussaves #forgodsglory #stopcensoringopposingviews #bringbackalexjones #imwithher #Banislaminthewest#alexjones #infowars #memes #thinking #freealexjones #lol #haha #comedy  #POYB #honeysmacks#jesussaves #forgodsglory #RushLimbaugh #stopcensoringopposingviews #bringbackalexjones #imwithher #Banislaminthewest #thematrix #MAGA🇺🇸 #KAG🇺🇸 #knightstemplar #georgewashington Reposted from @gypsy_crusader88 - https://www.instagram.com/p/Bt_96nugScL/?utm_source=ig_tumblr_share&igshid=1o9w19961ce3a

[marcwayneactor-blog]

“The Punch Seen ‘Round The World” 👊 #PATRIOT 🇺🇸🦅 • #Repost @rufio_panman with @get_repost ・・・ I was honestly very surprised that I was being arrested for defending myself, but after the police watched the full video and questioned me, they let me go. Crazy day, but I think a lot of people’s eyes were opened that day to the corruption going on within the city of Portland. #patriots #USA #FREEDOM #FREESPEECH #AMERICA #THEWESTISTHEBEST #POYB #PROUD #PROUDBOYS #PROUDBOY #PNW #PORTLAND

[sergiomichelofficial]

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Sergio Michel (@sergiomichelmusic)

Hypothetically....IF Alex Jones were here....he'd tell you to get Tropical Depression, new album by Sergio Michel (coming soon). . . . 🇺🇸😎💪🌴 #alexjones #TropD #SergioMichel #infowars #infowarriors #infowarsarmy🇺🇸🇺🇸🇺🇸 #MAGA #KAG #music #poyb #proudboys #rock #guitar #funny #alexjonesmemes #alexjoneswasright #comedy https://www.instagram.com/p/CEfHUWjgyfr/?igshid=1qblcyho67wo9

[emeryya]

Hot DAMN I always forget how hard SMG goes on her "I'm 16 years old I don't want to die" line.

Even though it's wildly overshadowed by the SOO-POYB season 2, I think season 1 is pretty underrated.

[horrorhouse]

Proud Boys were NOT part of Charlottesville protest

Gavin McIness went on record that while he stands by Jason Kessler and his group's First Amendment right to speak, he also stated Proud Boys would NOT be part of it because of the protest's white nationalist angle. That is not what Proud Boys or Proud Boys' Girls stand for.