Proud Boys leader Enrique Tarrio was arrested last night. He was being driven from an airport in the Washington, D.C. area when the arrest took place. He is alleged to have burned a Black Lives Matter banner that was taken from a historic church in the city. The theft took place after a day filled with pro-Trump rallies.
Tarrio has already admitted to burning the banner in several interviews and an online post. He went more in-depth on the matter in a post on popular conservative hub Parler. Tarrio wanted people to know that the banner was not burned out of hatred.
“Against the wishes of my attorney, I am here today to admit that I am the person responsible for the burning of this sign. And I am not ashamed of what I did because I didn’t do it out of hate… I did it out of love,” his statement reads, in part.
“The burning of this banner wasn’t about race, religion or political ideology, it was about a racist movement that has terrorized the citizens of this country. I will not standby and watch them burn another city,” Tarrio continued. He concludes the message by daring the authorities to come and get him. Tarrio wants the general public to decide if what he did was right or wrong.
This is not the only legal issue that Tarrio is currently facing.
“D.C. police confirm Proud Boys leader, Enrique Tarrio, arrested on a warrant charging him in the burning a Black Lives Matter banner taken from a historic Black church last month. Police said he’s also charged with possessing 2 gun magazines,” tweeted Peter Hermann.
“A spokesman for the DC Police Dept confirmed Tarrio’s arrest on charges of destruction of property and added that upon his arrest he was in possession of two high-capacity firearm magazines and was charged accordingly,” the New York Times confirms.
The New York Times also provided further updates about the charges at the end of their article on the matter.
“The leader of the Proud Boys, the far-right group that has vocally supported President Trump’s efforts to overturn the election results, was arrested on Monday on charges of destruction of property after he arrived in Washington to protest the congressional certification of the election later this week, according to a person familiar with the matter.
Enrique Tarrio, the chairman of the Proud Boys, was arrested by Metropolitan Police on suspicion of burning a Black Lives Matter banner torn from a historic Black church in Washington during protests last month that led to several violent clashes, including stabbings, around the city. The arrest also pits the Justice Department against some of Mr. Trump’s most ardent supporters; the U.S. attorney’s office in Washington acts as the main prosecutor’s office for the District of Columbia…,” they reported.
Tarrio’s arrest actually took place during a phone interview with Will Carless, a USA Today reporter.
“I was just interviewing Proud Boys chairman Enrique Tarrio by phone. While we were on the call, sirens started blaring in the background. He told his driver to pull over. Said ‘They’re for me,’ then ‘Here’s something to write about.’ He *may have been arrested,” said Carless.
“Leader of the Proud Boys and my friend Enrique Tarrio is being arrested for a misdemeanor in Washington, D.C. as he just landed at the airport. They are arresting him for taking the fall for the burning of the Black Lives Matter Banner at the last event. Per Joe Biggs on phone,” Matt Couch confirmed.
The complete WAMU report is well worth a read, as well. Tarrio is even facing a lawsuit from the black church that the banner was stolen from. He’s been charged with possession of a high capacity feeding device for his weaponry, too.
If he is convicted of all these charges, he will be facing some serious time. All we can do now is hope for justice to prevail.
