The chairman of the far-right Proud Boys sat behind Trump at his latest speech
By Tim Elfrink February 19 at 5:34 AM
Amid the sea of dark suits and red “Make America Great Again” gear behind President Trump at his televised speech in Miami on Monday, one man stood out. Appearing above the president in some live shots, he wore dark sunglasses, a black baseball cap and a black T-shirt with a message of support for Trump’s longtime adviser now facing federal charges: “Roger Stone Did Nothing Wrong!”
The man is notable for more than his attire, though. Enrique Tarrio is the chairman of the Proud Boys, a far-right, self-described “western chauvinist” organization known for violently clashing with antifascists and for its alleged links to white nationalists.
The Proud Boys leader’s prominent placement at Trump’s speech could give new fuel to critics who say the president has failed to distance himself from the far right in the years since he claimed there were “very fine people on both sides” at the deadly “Unite the Right” rally in Charlottesville, which was organized by a man who once attended Proud Boys meetings. Tarrio also attended the rally, though he claims to have left before the violent attacks began.
Tarrio disputes the Southern Poverty Law Center’s claim that his organization is a hate group, an allegation that also led Proud Boys founder Gavin McInnes to sue the SPLC earlier this month.
Proud Boys members have also been involved in bloody clashes with counterprotesters in Portland, Ore., and New York, where 10 members of the group have been charged in connection with brawls that broke out in the streets after a speech by McInnes in October. Prosecutors say videos show Proud Boys initiating the violence.
The following month, FBI warned local authorities that the Proud Boys are an “extremist group with ties to white nationalism.” The FBI later clarified that it does not consider the group to be extremist, but instead focuses on anticipating violence by individuals.
https://www.washingtonpost.com/nation/2019/02/19/far-right-proud-boys-chairman-sat-behind-trump-his-latest-speech/?utm_term=.f74c03b36db9
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