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Proud Boys frontman Henry “Enrique” Tarrio was arrested Monday in Washington, DC for allegedly burning a Black Lives Matter banner outside a historic black church during protests last month.
The 36-year-old from Miami returned to the nation’s capital this week ahead of additional protests planned by Trump supporters on Tuesday and Wednesday, as the newly sworn-in Congress meets to count and formally ratify the electoral college’s votes in part of the final. formal step before President-elect Joe Biden is sworn in on Jan.20.
Increased security measures are being taken around the Capitol Hill complex ahead of planned Electoral College certification protests on Wednesday, and Metropolitan Police have reported that there will be significant parking restrictions and street closures throughout the District of Columbia.
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While traveling to and from the House office buildings and the Capitol, the United States Capitol Police encouraged members of Congress and staff to use the underground access points and the Cannon and Rayburn tunnels instead to walk outside or drive to Place du Capitole, according to a safety memo. Members were encouraged to arrive by 9 a.m. Wednesday before large crowds gathered.
Tarrio was arrested by Metro Police Department officers on Monday “on entering the District of Columbia and under a DC Superior Court arrest warrant,” the police spokeswoman confirmed, Alaina Gertz, at Fox News. He has been charged with destroying property related to an offense that occurred on Saturday, December 12 in the 900 block of 11th Street, northwest.
A video posted online about the December incident at Asbury United Methodist Church showed a group of people shouting “We are proud of our boys” before pouring an apparent boost on a BLM banner and set it on fire in the street. Others applauded and cursed Antifa. Someone is seen walking about a minute later and using a fire extinguisher to put out the flames.
At the time of his arrest, police said Tarrio was found in possession of two high capacity gun magazines. He was also charged with possession of a high capacity power supply device.
In a telephone interview last month, Tarrio, who was in Miami at the time, told the Washington Post that he was among the group of individuals who participated in the banner fire and that he would plead guilty to destroying property, pay the cost to the church. of the banner and surrender to authorities if this criminal charge has been laid.
In this September 26, 2020 file photo, Proud Boys leader Henry “Enrique” Tarrio wears a hat that says The War Boys at a rally in Portland, Oregon. Police in the national capital on January 4, 2021 arrested the chief. of the Proud Boys, who is accused of burning a Black Lives Matter banner that was torn from a historic black church in downtown Washington in December 2020 (AP Photo / Allison Dinner, File)
The police department said in December it was investigating the offense as potentially motivated in whole or in part by hatred or bias, although Tarrio has not been charged with a hate crime.
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John Pierce, the senior lawyer representing 17-year-old Kenosha shooter Kyle Rittenhouse, said in a statement to Fox News Tuesday that while he does not officially represent Tarrio or a second man arrested, Chandler Pappas , at this stage. “There are discussions going on and I am ready to help if needed.”
“Chandler and Enrique are both patriotic Americans who have courageously and consistently stood up for our way of life over the past year or so,” Pierce said. “As globalist Marxists attempt to destroy America and our way of life from within, they are taking more and more political prisoners like Kyle Rittenhouse, Chandler Pappas and Enrique Tarrio. It is extremely dangerous and must stop immediately. All freedom-loving Americans must do whatever they can to fight back. “
President Trump and his campaign team challenged the election results and took their claims to courts across the country, and nearly all of those court challenges have failed. A group of GOP senators led by Senator Ted Cruz, of R-Texas, said they would oppose certification of election results on Wednesday unless there is an emergency audit of the results 10 days by an electoral commission.
DC Mayor Muriel Bowser said on Monday that some 340 National Guard troops had been activated as the city braced for potentially violent protests this week. On Sunday, the Democratic leader, who has been a staunch critic of Trump, advised residents not to engage with the protesters “who are coming to our town to confront each other, and we will do what we must to ensure that all who will attend remain peaceful “.
Businesses in downtown DC have started mounting windows and glass doors with plywood, WRC-TV reported.
Bowser reminded the public and anyone attending the rally that firearms are prohibited “within 1,000 feet of any First Amendment activity.” Police have posted signs near where the rally is to take place, advising the public that all firearms will be banned – even for city residents who have a concealed carry permit.
Thousands of people attended two pro-Trump rallies in Washington on December 12, just two days before the electoral college convened to formally elect Biden as the 46th president. After the rallies ended, downtown Washington quickly turned into a mob of hundreds of Proud Boys and combined forces of Antifa and local black activists – with both sides looking to confront each other in a flooded area. police officers.
As night fell, they clashed on either side of a street, with several lines of city and federal park police, some in riot gear, keeping them separate. Police say they have arrested nearly 30 people for a variety of offenses, from assault and possession of weapons to resisting arrests and riots after sunset. In addition to the banner being burnt at Asbury United Methodist Church, another video showed a group of men appearing to shoot down a BLM sign at AME Metropolitan Church as others in the crowd shouted, “Who are they?” streets? Our streets ”.
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In an interview with The Associated Press on Monday evening, Reverend Dr. Ianther Mills, senior pastor in Asbury, said the church community “of course feels some relief” after Tarrio’s arrest.
“We just want justice,” Mills said, adding that “we remain concerned” at the high number of protesters expected in the region in the coming days. She explained that Asbury saw another Black Lives Matter sign taken from her location over the Christmas holidays, prompting her to formally ask for additional protection for the church during protests scheduled for Wednesday.
Bradford Betz and The Associated Press of Fox News contributed to this report.
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