Where there is authority, there is resistance, which is still considered a healthy form of maintaining a democracy. But when the line is crossed, it becomes borderline terrorism. Due to the growing polarized divide in U.S. politics, intolerance towards the opposing side has become way more toxic.
The January 6 U.S. Capitol riots are a testament to how an influence causes a ripple, eventually leading to a tsunami of brainwashed, misinformed, and wrongfully-guided opinions.
“Big protest in D.C. on January 6.”
“Be there, will be wild!”
These infamous words by former president Donald Trump are etched in the shameful chapter of U.S. politics, openly instigating riots, coercing people to stand and fight for him, and then turning his back on them when they landed in trouble.
Trump is facing indictment for his central role in the U.S. Capitol riots along with his six co-conspirators.
But Trump isn’t the one who got the short end of the stick, even though he was the one to start the fire. The one to face the worst consequence is a Trump supporter with extreme views and violent tendencies.
The former leader of the Proud Boys, Enrique Tarrio, was found guilty of orchestrating the intensely aggressive gang of pro-Trump followers to attack the U.S. Capitol on January 6, 2021. He shall be serving the longest sentence issued among any other rioters of 22 years.
Who Are The Proud Boys?
Imagine a bottle full of testosterone, a bucket full of male ego, a basket full of hatred, and a glass half empty of reasoning– that’s how you get the “Proud Boys,” described as the far-right neo-fascist militant organization. Their main service is to get involved in Political violence.
Some call it a street gang, while it was also designated as a terrorist group in Canada and New Zealand. The group has evident disdain for left-wing, progressive, and “woke mentality.”
Basically, the group has categorized themselves as alt-lite, which means a right-wing political movement different from mainstream conservatism and the far-right, white nationalist alt-right.
The Proud Boys has been ousted from Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, and YouTube.
Who Is Enrique Tarrio?
Enrique Tarrio, of Afro-Cuban background, was born in 1984 and raised Catholic in Little Havana, a small neighborhood in Miami, Florida. He always landed in trouble with the law, first getting convicted of theft at 20. He was sentenced to community service, three years of probation, and ordered to pay restitution.
Enrique then pursued a lot of businesses, including a poultry farm, security equipment installment firm, and GPS tracking services for companies. But his true calling was representing Latinos in the political realm. He served as the Florida state director of the grassroots organization Latinos, supporting Donald Trump.
2012: Enrique was charged for his part in rebranding and reselling stolen diabetic test strips. He was sentenced to 30 months in 2013 but only served 16.
2014: Federal court proceeding revealed that he was an informant to both federal and local law enforcement.
2017: Enrique volunteered at a Miami event for far-right commentator Milo Yiannopoulos. The same year, he attended the Unite the Right rally in Charlottesville, Virginia.
2018: He became a member of Proud Boys.
2020: He then ran for the Republican primary election for Florida’s 27th congressional district. Although Tarrio later pulled out from the candidacy.
2021: He organized his gang for the U.S. Capitol riots. Mind you, he was not present during the riots himself.
What Happened to the Proud Boys Leader Enrique Tarrio?
Judge Kelly said in the verdict–
“Tarrio was the ultimate leader, the ultimate person who organized, who was motivated by revolutionary zeal.”
“I don’t have any indication that he is remorseful for the actual things that he was convicted of.”
Tarrio apologized for his involvement and maintained that he had “nothing to do with politics, groups, activism or rallies.”
He further said, “I have always tried to hold myself to a higher standard and I failed,” he said. “I held myself morally above others, and this trial has shown me how wrong I was.”
“I spent the last year and a half trying to figure out how I ended up at this podium. On November 3, 2020, something that I never expected happened – my candidate lost. I felt like something was personally stolen from me. Every media channel that I turned to told me I was justified.”
“I am not a political zealot. Inflicting harm or changing the outcome of the election was not my goal.”
Prosecutor Conor Mulroe disagreed with his statement and denounced him, stating–
“Toxic ability to control others and was the leader of this conspiracy that targeted our entire system of government.”
“Toxic ability to control others who increased his own fame and stature by fanning the flame of violence, political violence.”
“These are men who would never strap a bomb to their chest or sign up for a training camp, but they are thrilled by the notion of traveling from city to city and beating their advisories senseless in a street fight.”
“We’re not just a drop in the bucket.”
“Have an integral role in that first breach.”
“The actions of that group were absolutely pivotal on January 6 and followed directly the plotting and planning of Enrique Tarrio.”
Tarrio’s lawyer, Sabino Jauregui, presented a firm defense stating “it was not his intention to bring down the United States government or overthrow the United States government.”
Eventually, Tarrio was sentenced to 22 years in prison.
What is your verdict on this case? Would you label Tarrio’s organization as an act of terrorism? Let us know in the comments section below.
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