Enrique Tarrio, the former leader of the Proud Boys, was arrested on Friday by U.S. Capitol Police. His arrest came after he appeared at a press conference with other Proud Boys members and Stewart Rhodes, founder of the Oath Keepers.
The arrest was for simple assault after a counter-protester held a phone close to Tarrio’s face. He responded by striking the phone and hitting the protester’s arm. The protester said she wanted to press charges, leading to Tarrio’s arrest. The incident took place near the U.S. Capitol and Union Station in Washington, D.C.
Proud Boy Joe Biggs came on Tarrio’s defense, saying, “This is absolutely insane. Tarrio did nothing wrong. This is a set-up.” He also claimed that local police allowed “agitators” to cross their path.
Before his arrest, Tarrio, along with other Proud Boys members and Rhodes, announced plans to file lawsuits over their involvement in the January 6th, 2021 Capitol riot. They gathered outside the Capitol, the same place where supporters of former President Trump stormed in an effort to block the certification of Joe Biden’s election victory.
“I’m not talking about violent retribution,” Tarrio said, speaking alongside the Proud Boys and others who supported the January 6th defendants. “I’m talking about something much more powerful: accountability and the rule of law.”
Tarrio, along with four other Proud Boys who were convicted of sedition, said they planned to sue the Justice Department for $150 million in the coming weeks. However, he did not provide details about the claims.
Joe Biggs added that they intended to file the lawsuit in Florida. Rhodes also mentioned plans to sue but did not provide specifics.
Both Tarrio and Rhodes were convicted of seditious conspiracy, a serious charge related to trying to stop the peaceful transfer of power from Trump to Biden. Tarrio was not in Washington on January 6th due to an earlier arrest, but prosecutors said he helped organize the Proud Boys to rally at the Capitol that day. Rhodes was also at the Capitol but did not enter the building or engage with law enforcement.
Rhodes received an 18-year prison sentence, while Tarrio was sentenced to 22 years, the longest sentence given for the Capitol riot. However, both sentences were overturned after President Trump pardoned Tarrio and commuted Rhodes’ sentence on his first day back in office.
Trump’s pardons were seen as a strong criticism of the Justice Department’s efforts in prosecuting those involved in the January 6th attack. The sedition convictions were considered a major part of the Justice Department’s investigation, which was one of the largest and most complex in its history.
Trump had promised to help the January 6th defendants, referring to them as “political prisoners.” His surprise decision to grant full pardons to most of those involved, including those who attacked law enforcement, shocked many.
Prosecutors said the Oath Keepers had been planning for weeks before the attack, even setting up an armed “quick reaction force” with weapons hidden across the Potomac River in case things went wrong. On the day of the attack, some Oath Keepers climbed the Capitol steps in military-style formations, while Proud Boys saw themselves as the “foot soldiers” of the right wing, ready to fight to keep Trump in power.
The four other Proud Boys convicted with Tarrio—Joe Biggs, Ethan Nordean, Zachary Rehl, and Dominic Pezzola—were also at the press conference. Nordean, Biggs, and Rehl were found guilty of sedition. Pezzola, who used a stolen police riot shield to break a Capitol window, was acquitted of sedition but convicted of other serious crimes. Trump commuted their sentences to time served.
