Enrique Tarrio (centre), the then leader of Proud Boys is one among the five accused who will face trial. Source: Twitter
Washington (US): In the most recent trial concerning the alleged masterminds of the Capitol riot on January 6, 2021, five members of the far-right Proud Boys group will face seditious conspiracy charges this week.
As per reports, the suspects include Henry “Enrique” Tarrio the national leader of Proud Boys of that time.
The five are accused of eight other offences, including hindering law enforcement and destroying governmentproperty, in addition to seditious conspiracy.
The Proud Boys risk serving a sizable amount of time in jail if found guilty. The charge of seditious conspiracy carries a maximum 20-year prison term.
Along with Tarrio, The Proud Boys accused in this case are 31-year-old Washington resident Ethan Nordean aka Rufio Panman. Joe Biggs, 38, of Florida. Zachary Rehl, (38), a former US Marine and the head of the Proud Boys’Philadelphia chapter, Dominic Pezzola, 44, of Rochester in New York state.
Mr. Pezzola, a former US Marine who was among the first to arrive at one of the Capitol’s doors, is accused of stealing a police officer’s riot shield and breaking a window.
Prosecutors claim Proud Boys published a number of deadly threats online on a regular basis. For example, in November 2020, Mr. Tarrio commented on a tweet by Joe Biden saying: “You must never forget that the people of America are at war with you. Not Trump… No serenity. No tolerance.” Other posters talked about the civil war, hanging gallows, and “traitors.”
The Proud Boys’ commanders established a new chapter in late December 2020 that they dubbed the “Ministry of Self Defense.”
Prosecutors for the government claim that the group then began making serious preparations for violence.
On the morning of the riot, Proud Boys congregated close to the Washington Monument before proceeding to the Capitol. On that particular day, there were around 100 group members there, and several have since been jailed.
The defence attorneys for the defendants are anticipated to make the case that the group was disorganised and that there was no predetermined strategy for storming the building. Additionally, it was mentioned in a pre-trial motion that Mr. Tarrio had contact with law enforcement prior to January 6 and had told them of the group’s plans for the day.
Although jury selection for the case started before Christmas, it has been going quite slowly because so many prospective jurors have expressed disapproval of the defendants. Later this week, the trial’s opening statements are scheduled to start.
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