Category Archives: Proud Boys

ANN ARBOR, MI Several Proud Boy stickers marked as Afghan refugee hunting permits were discovered on the University of Michigan campus by a student recently.

A student spotted the insensitive stickers and reported them to police on Sunday, Sept. 12, according to Rick Fitzgerald, University of Michigan spokesman.

The stickers, which each had Proud Boy and Afghan Refugee Hunting Permit written on them were found on various properties near the universitys West Hall. They were removed by the student who found them, Fitzgerald said.

The stickers had a permit number of 09*11*01 with no bag limit and no expiration to hunt and kill Afghan refugees nationwide.

It is unknown where the stickers came from or who placed them. The matter remains under investigation, according to officials.

Bigotry has no place on this campus, Fitzgerald said.

The stickers were discovered a day after the 20-year anniversary of the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks which led to the U.S. invasion of Afghanistan. After 20 years in Afghanistan, U.S. withdrew from the country in August in what was described as a chaotic evacuation where thousands of refugees were left in limbo, struggling to get out of the country.

Several private organizations in Michigan are taking in refugees including the Jewish Family Services in Ann Arbor. Grand Rapids is expected to take about 500 refugees by the end of the month.

As Michigan prepares to receive Afghan refugees, Grand Rapids vigil honors their struggle

The Proud Boys is described as a far-right organization that uses intimidation to instigate conflict while regularly spouting white nationalist memes and maintaining affiliations with known extremists, according to the Southern Poverty Law Center.

The organization marched in Kalamazoo in September of 2020 which ended in violence between the group and counter protestors.

Why the Proud Boys visited Kalamazoo

Anyone with information about the incident is asked to contact University of Michigan Division of Public Safety and Security at 734-763-1131.

More from MLive:

Man tells police he was robbed by friend at gunpoint after showing him $1,700 engagement ring

Michigan State University, Henry Ford Health join forces to bolster cancer, health care research

Ypsilanti advances proposal to allow accessory apartments on 3K more properties

Originally posted here:

Proud Boy Afghan refugee hunting permit stickers found on University of Michigan campus - MLive.com

A judge in Wisconsin sided with defense attorneys Friday and denied motions filed by prosecutors seeking to admit evidence at trial showing Kyle Rittenhouse's involvement in a previous fight and his alleged association with the Proud Boys.

Among their multiple motions filed, prosecutors were hoping to admit evidence Rittenhouse had an association with the Proud Boys, a group linked to political violence.

In January, Rittenhouse pleaded not guilty to two felony charges of homicide in the deaths of Anthony Huber and Joseph Rosenbaum, and felony attempted homicide for wounding Gaige Grosskreutz during protests in August 2020, following the police shooting of Jacob Blake.

Specifically, in regard to January 2021, months after the Kenosha shooting, when Rittenhouse went to a local bar with his mother about 90 minutes after his arraignment, Rittenhouse posed for pictures with individuals seen flashing the 'OK' sign, which prosecutors say has been co-opted as a sign of 'white power' by known white supremacist groups.

According to prosecutors, they have since learned some of the people he posed with were in the "highest echelons" of the Wisconsin chapter of the Proud Boys.

Defense attorney Corey Chirafisi said, "There's no information Mr. Rittenhouse knew who they were."

"For this to be considered by you (Judge Schroeder), there must be evidence... that on August 25th, 2020 Kyle Rittenhouse was either a member of the Proud Boys or had loyalties to that group," said Chirafisi, who added there was no evidence of that.

Kenosha County Judge Schroeder agreed with the defense, "For me to let that in as evidence for a motive that existed four months earlier? Can't see it."

On the January 2021 Rittenhouse bar appearance, Schroeder ruled, "There's still no suggestion in the evidence ... that this was anything other than a happenstance occurrence."

A separate motion involved recently discovered video, taken two weeks before the Kenosha shooting, which showed Rittenhouse talking about an AR rifle and wanting to shoot people he allegedly thought were looting a CVS store.

Prosecutors said the video shows that he "eagerly made assumptions about the intentions of others even though he knew absolutely nothing about what was going on. The video also demonstrates that the defendant fervently sought to insert himself as an armed vigilante into situations that had nothing to do with him," court documents allege.

Chirafisi argued Rittenhouse could have inserted himself but didn't, "He never made contact with those people at CVS. He doesn't even step from the vehicle to verbally confront them in any way. He doesn't do anything."

Schroeder said, "The events are so totally dissimilar," and that for now, "I'm going to withhold a final decision with a bias toward refusing."

As part of a third motion filed, prosecutors were hoping to admit a June 2020 incident, when they say Rittenhouse was involved in a physical altercation that began between his sister and someone else.

"The defendant is essentially a teenage vigilante, involving himself in things that don't concern him," said Binger during the motions hearing Friday. "It shows that his understanding of self-defense ... is a certain way."

Chirafisi argued the fight "adds nothing to that determination as to whether or not his actions were or were not in self-defense ... as it relates to his state of mind two and a half months later."

Schroeder agreed in his ruling, "I don't see any connection here at all so that request is denied." The judge added he was "virtually certain" if he had admitted it, it would end up in a reversal if Rittenhouse was convicted.

Rittenhouse appeared in person to the motions hearing Friday in a suit and tie alongside his attorneys.

Jury selection in the Rittenhouse trial is expected to begin November 1, for which both prosecutors and defense attorneys affirmed Friday they will be ready.

Schroeder deferred his decision to a later date in determining whether juror questionnaires will be sent out before jury selection.

The-CNN-Wire

& 2021 Cable News Network, Inc., a WarnerMedia Company. All rights reserved.

ABBA sent shockwaves of excitement across the world when they announced their reunion after 40 years apart. Click for more.

Read the original post:

Judge denies admission of evidence allegedly connecting Kyle Rittenhouse to Proud Boys - News-Daily.com

Proud Boys organizer Joseph Biggs charged in Capitol riots

A self-described leader of the Proud Boys was charged for his role in the Capitol riots; authorities said Joseph Biggs encouraged other extremists.

Staff Video, USA TODAY

Leaders of the far-right Proud Boys group accused in the deadly Capitol riot made a new appeal for pre-trial releaseMonday, with their lawyers asserting that Ethan Nordean and Joseph Biggs presented no future public safety risk.

Nicholas Smith, Nordean's attorney, also said that his client's father was prepared to back a $1 million bond with his "life savings" to secure his son's release.

Nordean and Biggs, along with other Proud Boy membersaccused in aconspiracy to obstruct Congress' certification of President Joe Biden's election,have been held since April.

Smith, who offered up text messages in which his client reportedly rejected any plans to attend future rallies or to maintain a leadership position in the group,said the government's opposition to release, based on a finding of "future dangerousness" required the defense to"prove a negative."

More: With Trump in the rearview mirror, Proud Boys offer muscle at rallies against vaccine mandates, masks

More: Proud Boys leader Enrique Tarrio pleads guilty in Black Lives Matter banner burning

"It is so essential that the politics of this doesn't overwhelm the facts," Smith argued, referring to the polarized political environment that gave life to the Capitol assault that left five dead.

The attorney's remark brought a biting response from U.S. District Judge Timothy Kelly, who ordered the men detained in April, saying then that it was"no exaggeration to say that the rule of law, the durability of our Constitutions order and in the end, the very existence of our republic, is threatened by such conduct."

"The politics of this have nothing to do with this (hearing) not a wit," Kelly said Monday.

Meanwhile, Daniel Hull, the attorney representing Biggs, attacked the government's conspiracy charge, arguing that there had been no plan to attack the Capitol and that any assessment of his client's risk to public safety should account for that.

"Clear and convincing evidence of future dangerous does not exist," Hull argued.

The prosecution, however, presented statements from Nordean following the riots, suggesting that he was not finished with leading future demonstrations.

"I am not going to be sitting on my ass waiting for the end," Assistant U.S. Attorney Jason McCullough said, quoting from Jan. 12 message from Nordean. "We will never stop."

Former Wisconsin Proud Boy member saw bigotry and bullying

Daniel Berry joined the Wisconsin Proud Boys in search of camaraderie, but instead found racism, antisemitism and sadistic bullying.

Jasper Colt, USA TODAY

McCullough said the group had also discussed the need for long-range planning and regional training for members.

If the pair did win their release, McCullough said it would be "impossible to police" their access to electronics to engage in communications with the group.

Kelly did not make an immediate decision before the public segment of the hearing was moved to a closed session.

Trump tells Proud Boys: 'Stand back and stand by'

President Donald Trump declined to clearly condemn white supremacist groups and their role in violence during Tuesday's first presidential debate, at one point telling the neo-fascist group "Proud Boys" to "stand back and stand by." (Sept. 29)

AP

Link:

Proud Boys leaders charged in Capitol riot seek release; judge feels the weight of 'very existence of our republic' - USA TODAY

New research shows that while no firearms are reported at the majority of protests in the United States, protests with guns present are on the rise since the beginning of 2020, and 84 percent of groups involved in armed demonstrations are right-wing extremists like the Proud Boys.

A recent, first-of-its-kind report from independent researchers Everytown for Gun Safety Support Fund and the Armed Conflict Location & Event Data Project (ACLED) quantified the 560-plus armed demonstrations that have taken place across the United States since the start of 2020, averaging more than one a daya number that is rising.

Justin Wagner, Director of Investigations at Everytown for Gun Safety, spoke about expectations for the September 18 "Justice for J6" rally planned by former Trump staffer and campaign operative Matt Braynard in an email with Newsweek Monday evening. The rally is reportedly intended to protest the prosecution of the rioters from the January 6 Capitol Riots.

Wagner said that he is hoping this Saturday's rally will be peaceful and unarmed but, given his group's research, he wasn't shocked that Braynard did not suggest participants leave guns at home, even though he did issue several other rules for attendance via the event website that had the appearance of considering safety.

"This isn't surprising," Wagner said. "Guns were present and part of the Jan. 6 attack and are an organizing principle of far-right groups, like the Proud Boys and Three Percenters who are also linked with this Saturday's event. Guns aren't just tools of intimidation and violence, they are often how extremist groups message and recruit."

Wagner also pointed out that his group's report "shows a proliferation in armed demonstrations on the grounds of government facilities," which might not bode well for the September 18 rally, saying, "Since the beginning of 2020, 18 [percent] of all armed demonstrations have occurred on the grounds of government facilities, with more than 100 reported at legislative buildings and vote counting centers across 25 states and Washington, DC."

Armed demonstrations are "violent or destructive" roughly five times as often as unarmed demonstrations in the U.S., according to Wagner. However, in the case of the upcoming "Justice for J6 Rally," D.C. laws prohibiting carrying firearms in public spaces, make things harder for armed citizen militias.

"Many states do not have the same restrictions," Wagner told Newsweek. "In other states, law enforcement would not be able to arrest an extremist using firearms as an intimidation tool until violence occurred."

The report found that states with open carry laws were significantly more likely to have armed demonstrations with violence than states where open carry of firearms is not allowed.

Eighty-four percent of the groups involved in U.S. armed demonstrations are right-wing actors, according to the report, with the Boogaloo Boys and their affiliates, the Three Percenters, and associated groups, the Proud Boys and the Oath Keepers, at the top of the list.

Correction (9/14/2021, 6:15 p.m.): This article and headline originally stated that right-wing groups were responsible for 84 percent of armed demonstrations. This should have said that of all groups identified at armed demonstrations, 84 percent were right-wing.

Link:

84% of Groups Involved in Armed Demonstrations Are Right-Wing Actors Like the Proud Boys - Newsweek

To liberal America, Genevieve Peters became an object of national scorn when she livestreamed herself refusing to wear a mask in a Trader Joe's store in Rancho Palo Verdes, Calif. in May 2020, causing a clerk to call the police an early example of defiance against COVID restrictions that has long since lost its novelty, but was then worthy of mention in the New York Times.

To many others, Peters was a hero with a growing social-media profile. The Trader Joe's incident helped cement her position as a prominent social media influencer who helped coalesce the burgeoning far-right subculture in southern California that drew together anti-lockdown resentment with fanatical MAGA loyalty, interwoven with enforcement muscle from Trump's violent followers, the Proud Boys.

Even before the Trader Joe's incident, Peters had posed for a photo with Trump confidante Roger Stone and Proud Boys national chairman Enrique Tarrio at the American Priority Conference at Trump National Doral Miami, and earned a spot in the world of minor MAGA celebrity, where influencers like her acted as a conduit between Trump's inner circle and the street-level activism that fueled his cult of personality. In southern California, Peters worked closely with Latinos 4 Trump; she's called Elsa Aldeguer, the organization's president, her "bestie." Like Peters, Aldeguer has also forged close ties to the Proud Boys.

Peters' Facebook page is studded with selfies showing her standing with an array of far-right and MAGA players. Dressed in a tricorn hat, Peters joined a group of Proud Boys armed with assault-style rifles for a Second Amendment rally at the Michigan state capitol in Lansing in September 2020. If that wasn't edgy enough, she also posed inside the Capitol lobby with a group of young men open-carrying rifles and wearing Hawaiian shirts associated with the violent Boogaloo movement. Her selfie collection with MAGA figures is no less prolific: Rudy Giuliani in December 2020, Rep. Matt Gaetz (R-Fla.) in October 2019, Trump campaign digital media director Brad Parscale in November 2019, Turning Point USA founder Charlie Kirk in January 2020, Trump campaign surrogate Mark Burns in October 2019, and multiple appearances with conspiracy theorist and unsuccessful congressional candidate Laura Loomer. And a July 2019 photo shows her with future US Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene (R-Ga.), who is a moderator on the Family America Project Facebook group that Peters administers.

Peters' relevance as an influencer and organizer in the MAGA universe was enhanced by the fact that she claims ties to two different regions of the country. In August 2020, she returned to her home state of Michigan to help mobilize support for Trump's critical effort in the swing state, which he ultimately lost. She made the news again, in Dec. 5, when she livestreamed a night-time protest outside Michigan Secretary of State Joycelyn Benson's home; police said some of the protesters were carrying weapons.

As pro-Trump rallies in Michigan, Georgia, Pennsylvania and Arizona, along with Washington DC in November and December, built momentum for the massive gathering in DC on Jan. 6, Peters fanned excitement and assisted with logistics. On the eve of the Dec. 12 Jericho March, Peters marched with the Proud Boys. Following the Dec. 12 rally, Peters celebrated her cross-country organizing efforts with a photo of herself with Aldeguer and others gathered around a barroom table in a Facebook post captioned, "Connecting my Awesome Cali Patriots with my Awesome Michigan Patriots!"

Back in Michigan, Peters helped organize a bus that departed from the Detroit area for DC on Jan. 4. It is unclear how the bus trip was financed, but Articia Bomer, an unsuccessful Republican congressional candidate, introduced Peters to a reporter during the trip as "someone that's head of this trip." In DC, Peters stayed in the Willard Hotel, which also provided lodging to her friend Aldeguer and high-profile luminaries like Roger Stone. On Jan. 6, when she advanced to the west plaza outside the Capitol, Peters wore a plastic lanyard clipped to the collar of her coat, showing that she had VIP access to the "Save America March" organized by Women for America First."

Peters has not been charged with any crime in connection with the assault on the US Capitol, but dozens of Proud Boys, the brawling nationalist street gang she has celebrated and promoted, have been arrested. They include Joe Biggs, a national Proud Boys leader whom she sheltered with a parasol at the July 2019 "Demand Free Speech" rally in DC. Biggs is charged with conspiracy to corruptly obstruct Congress' certification of the electoral vote and to obstruct law enforcement, alongside three other Proud Boys leaders.

Peters' association with the Proud Boys appears to be more than just happenstance. Joining the Proud Boys as they marched through downtown DC chanting "F*** antifa" on Dec. 11, she offered an enthusiastic endorsement: "Bam, bam, these are my people right here.... People that love America, people that love our country, people that love our president.... That's what I like: real men! Real men!"

But Peters is even closer with another Jan. 6 defendant who is accused of assaulting law enforcement and other offenses. Enrique Tarrio reportedly told the alt-right news site National File that David Dempsey was rejected for membership in the Proud Boys because of "his history of violent acts," but Peters described him as a "friend" and "patriot brother" while soliciting contributions donations to help cover his legal expenses after he sprayed counter-protesters with bear repellent during a melee at the Santa Monica Pier in October 2019.

Peters could not be reached for comment for this story.

Peters herself described the events at the Capitol on Jan. 6 as "amazing." Recounting the day's events during a livestream while walking back to her hotel room on Jan. 6, Peters described how she and a friend used a mobile sound rig to thank Trump supporters for being there and to declare, "This is our 1776."

"We were getting word that they had stormed the Capitol," Peters recounted. "We were getting word that they actually got in. And see, this area that we were actually in, no one was supposed to be in because it was all completely cut off and shut down for the inauguration. And they were scaffolding and building everything."

After Trump supporters retreated from the Capitol and reported being pepper-sprayed, Peters exulted about the size of the crowd. "And it was really an amazing show of force, an amazing show of patriotism, everything that you want," she said. "We felt incredibly proud."

Emphasizing her sense of justification again, she said, "At this point, like I said, we had completely controlled the entire Capitol. I mean, the Capitol, the rafters, everything, and I've got tons of pictures to share with you guys. Definitely sends a message, there's no question that we didn't send a strong message about not accepting his fraudulent election."

While Peters took a selfie from the plaza showing Trump supporters thronging the scaffolding and the Lower West Terrace, her friend, David Dempsey was engaged in an ongoing battle with police at the mouth of the Lower West Terrace tunnel.

Citing an open-source video archived on the seditionhunters.org website, the FBI wrote in a charging document that the 34-year-old Dempsey appears to have sprayed officers with mace and bludgeoned them with a crutch and a pole. Dempsey was arrested with another California man Jeffrey Scott Brown, 54, of Santa Ana in late August.

Dempsey made it clear what he hoped the rioters would accomplish in an extended rant filmed next to a makeshift gallows outside the Capitol.

Quickly moving past the interviewer's suggestion that the gallows was a "work of art," Dempsey said, "This is necessary. Like I said, they say, 'We need to start arresting people. We need to start putting them behind bars.' No, we don't need to waste the taxpayer dollars on these worthless cretins who are treasonous to our country. We need to decriminalize hemp and marijuana, turn all that shit into rope when we're done with it. And string all these worthless bastards up from the top of these tree lines, the rafters, the rooftops, the statues."

Dempsey continued his profanity-laden rant by naming a string of Democratic officials and appointees as worthy of death.

"I say we should have been doing this a long f***ing time ago," he said. "Them worthless f***ing shitholes like Jerry Nadler and f***ing Pelosi, Clapper, Comey, f***ing those pieces of garbage, you know, Obama, all these dudes, Clinton, f*** all these pieces of shits. That's what they need. They don't need a jail cell. They need to hang from these mother***ers while everybody videotapes, and it f***ing spreads on YouTube or BitChute or whatever f***ing social media there is."

It remains unclear whether Peters and Dempsey met up or otherwise communicated on Jan. 6, but Dempsey's reputation for violence preceded him to the US Capitol.

Following his arrest by the Santa Monica police for bear-spraying an anti-Trump protest organized by RefuseFascism.org in October 2019, a local newspaper reported that Dempsey was a felon, and could face up to eight years in prison if convicted. But Peters defended him as "trying to disperse lunatic rabid, dangerous leftist [sic] from injuring other Patriots during a scuffle." She added, "I saw the footage, I know his heart! He is a good man!"

Dempsey's charge of using teargas as a weapon was still pending in California at the time he showed up at the US Capitol on Jan. 6, 2021 and allegedly sprayed mace at police officers. Ultimately, Dempsey was convicted of the state offense in Los Angeles County Superior Court on May 17, 2021.

Dempsey was not the only right-wing street fighter that Peters publicly supported. In December 2019, a man named Joseph Krongchana was charged as the second individual involved in the bear-spray attack.

Peters documented her support for Krongchana with a June 17, 2020 Facebook post that showed her seated around a restaurant table with Krongchana, Dempsey and Aldeguer.

"Celebratory Breakfast after court for Joseph!" she wrote. "Thank you all for your prayers! One more to go! Continued prayers! Love my Patriot fam!"

Krongchana would be convicted of the same offense as Dempsey in Los Angeles Superior Court exactly a year later.

Peters continued to chronicle her friendship with Dempsey in the spring and summer of 2020: a backyard party following a day of lockdown protesting in April and a dinner party in June.

They even hit the road together: In July 2020, Peters posted a photo of herself posing alongside Aldeguer and another southern California pro-Trump activist, Leonor Ferris, on a roadside in Colorado. A smiling Dempsey was behind them throwing up an A-OK hand sign.

Follow this link:

MAGA influencer Genevieve Peters cheered on the Proud Boys and a man who went on to mace DC police - Raw Story

Fight disinformation. Get a daily recap of the facts that matter. Sign up for the free Mother Jones newsletter.

High-profile extremist groups are sending mixed signals about whether their members will actually show up to a DC rally this month intended to demand justice for people who have been charged with taking part in the January 6 attack on the US Capitolbut officials in Washington say that arent taking any chances.

A group led by Matt Braynard, a former Trump campaign employee, is seeking a permit for up to 500 people to demonstrate in front of the Capitol on September 18 for a so-called #JusticeForJ6 protest. The planned rally is part of a persistent effort by Trump backers to downplay the events of January 6. Braynard has said the upcoming demonstration will push back on the the phony narrative that there was an insurrection and has claimed the crowd that day was largely peaceful. Though a large majority of the more than 600 people charged with taking part in the attack face minor charges and were released on bail, some conservative commentators have falsely asserted that most of the defendants remain in jail. Many on the right, including Braynard, have also embraced Donald Trumps false claims that he was cheated out of an election victory, the same lie that incited the insurrection.

Law enforcement officials, caught off guard in January, are bracing for the prospect of violence. DC police have said they will be fully prepared. The US Capitol Police are reportedly considering reinstalling a fence around the Capitol complex. An intelligence assessment by the force, Roll Call reported Tuesday, states that although outwardly Matt Braynard has instructed attendees to remain peaceful, given the propensity for this group to attract domestic extremists, their support for the insurrectionists, and their continued challenges to democratic institutions, it is not unreasonable to plan for violent altercations with those associated with this demonstration.

The Associated Press, citing federal intelligence findings, reported last week that far-right groups including the Proud Boys and Oath Keepers are planning to attend the rally. That has heightened concerns in Washington, since members of both groups are being prosecuted for allegedly taking part in the January 6 attack and conspiring beforehand to interfere with the certification of President Joe Bidens victory.

Publicly, however, members of those groups andother right-wing influencers deny any plans to mass in DC, and theyretrying to dissuade their followers from showing up. I do not know of any specific plan to attend, other than what we are watching the media fabricate, Kellye SoRelle, a lawyer for the Oath Keepers and confidante of the groups founder, Stewart Rhodes, told Mother Jones.

Through a Telegram account, the Proud Boys also disputed the idea that group members planned to attend en mass and suggested the rally was a law enforcement trap. We arent going and you shouldnt either because [everybody is]going to jail. Sounds like bait,the group warned.

If you rally in DC right now, youre an idiot and youre going to get people thrown in jail or worse, another message said. Proud Boy leader Henry Enrique Tarrio, as he arrived in DC on Monday to begin serving a five-month sentence for property destruction and weapons charges, said that he hasnt seen a single Proud Boy say theyre actually gonna go.

Some of the Proud Boys Telegram groups tried to get ahead of any potential violence by sharing a message that read, Whatever this rally is in DC, it definitely isnt going to be a Proud Boy rally. No doubt there will be some boomers in black and yellow gear calling themselves Proud Boys though.

Ron Watkins, the co-founder of 8chan, the key imageboard in facilitating the QAnon conspiracy movement, issued a similar message on his Telegram own channel, calling the event a likely false flag and saying that he hopes none of his followers attend. A prominent QAnon Telegram channel with more than 100,000 followers and other pro-Trump and pro-QAnon channels with large followings reposted Watkins message.

Others on the online right are spreading similar messages off Telegram. Gateway Pundit blogger Jim Hoft speculated that the event could be FBI manufactured.The far-right social media site Gab urged its usersnot to attend. Do not take the bait, the platform posted on its Twitter account. They are losing the narrative on January 6th so this is why the CIA mockingbird media is pushing this. No one serious or smart is going.

The remnants of The_Donald subreddit, which has moved between homes since being banned from Reddit, was a large hub for planning in advance of the original January 6 riot. But a recent search of the communityyielded few results for theSeptember 18 rally. Most of those that do show upcall it a false flag and encourage others not to attend.

According to Jared Holt, a research fellow at the Atlantic Councils Digital Forensic Research Lab who tracks far-right extremism online, these developments dontbode well for the events organizers. Ive seen maybe a couple of threads on [right-wing forums] or comments here or there. But at the moment, theres not much to support the idea that this will get enough momentum to even scratch the surface of what happened on January 6, Holt said.

Despite the warnings from far-right influencers, some are still coming. According to the Washington Post, Braynards Look Ahead America predicts that 700 people will attend, which is up from the groups initial estimate of 500 in its permit request.

The Harrington Hotel, a Proud Boys favorite, is completely sold out of rooms for the weekend of September 18 and 19, according to its bookings website. A hotel employee confirmed this over the phone.

Contrary to Tarrios claims, another Proud Boy, speaking at an event in Portland in August, urged group members and supporters to attend the DC rally.

Its unclear how much control these groups leaders have over their members. The Proud Boys and the Oath Keepers have always been loosely organized, and they have splintered further amid January 6 prosecutions. Some Oath Keepers have pleaded guilty and are cooperating with the federal investigation into the attack. A revelation that Tarrio is a longtime law enforcement informantwhich Tarrio has deniedhas also reportedly divided the Proud Boys.

See the original post here:

The Proud Boys Say They Aren't Coming. DC Is Bracing for Violence Anyway. Mother Jones - Mother Jones

The Proud Boys are a far-right, neo-fascist organization that openly admits to only allowing men as members and promoting political violence

This is what the average person would say after one Google search, reading a page off of Wikipedia without doing any additional research.

Which is why I wanted to give you a better look as to what this organization all about. Hopefully, this article will answer the question of WHAT the Proud Boys are not just WHO they are.

The Proud Boys embrace an ancient ritual that the Romans, the Spartans, the Samurai, Pirates, the Military, and even the Disciples of Jesus Christ have been practicing for hundreds of thousands of years called

Brotherhood.

What is brotherhood? Its important to understand WHAT brotherhood is all about if were going to understand what the Proud Boys are

Put simply, a brotherhood is an association, society, or community of people linked by a common interest, religion, or trade.

In the case of the Proud Boys, their common interests are built on a foundation of political ideology.

Their values are rooted in libertarianism but have been skewed to fit the mainstream medias agenda. They insist on labeling any organization that is pro-Trump or leans to the Right as a white supremacist or Neo-fascist organization which, in the Proud Boys case, COULDNT be farther from the truth.

The core of the Proud Boys ideology is as follows

The Proud Boys do not discriminate based upon race, religious beliefs, or sexual orientation/preference

In fact, one of the most prominent members and the current chairman of the Proud Boys is Enrique Tarrio, an American of Afro-Cuban descent.

The only rules to join are that you must be a born-male and accept that the West is the best.

Founder Gavin McInnes even explained that The Far-Left and Far-Right who hate usand want to kill us, by the waykeep taunting to come to the dark side, BUT ITS NOT WHO WE ARE!

While the organization has been labeled as Nazis over and over by misinformed and biased journalists, theyve NEVER been CLOSE to deserving that label

Even so, all the negative press caused McInnes to step down as President of the group after which they elected Tarrio.

Which blows the Lefts whole neo-Nazi theory right out of the water.

Think about it

How can an organization that has a minority leader be labeled as a white supremacist groupESPECIALLY given that ALL the Proud Boy leaders voted for him?

The only argument here is that the mainstream media continually pushes to label the Proud Boys as a Fascist group in order to preserve ANTIFAs reputation as the lapdog of the Left

And now, ANTIFA is an ACTUAL terrorist organization.

The Proud Boys are still THRIVING even after social media giants completely banned them from their platforms and having the talking heads of the Liberal media machine smearing them on a daily basis.

Hell, the Southern Poverty Law Center even labeled them as domestic terrorists even though the FBI has disagreed showing no evidence to support that claim whatsoever.

But still, the Boys are seen as a political gang from people around the United States, including big corporations and banks.

On Feb 10, 2019, Enrique Tarrio was kicked off Chases banking platform for his affiliation with Proud Boys

How can this happen? He didnt violate any guidelines or service agreements but nonetheless, was still removed for simply being an outspoken conservative voice.

I actually was the first person to interview Enrique on the subject after building a relationship with the chairman and proving to have the ability to give a fair interview.

I am not victimizing myself I am just sharing my story, Enrique stated Its not just card processing platforms and banks I have been de-platformed from. I have also been banned from AirBnB, Coin Base commerce and those are 2 services I have never used I just signed up for them. But its all connected through my Facebook account, which lets them know who I am. (you can see that interview HERE.)

Apparently, the guidelines that were broken that lead to the Chairmans abrupt and forced departure was the hate speech and hate group guidelines.

However, if the banks and corporations did just a LITTLE research, theyd have known that the only things that the Proud Boys hate are Communism, Socialism, and Political Correctness.

But maybe were missing something here?

Maybe if we got a closer look maybe if we could get a view from the inside we could see what theyre TRULY about and who they truly are.

What does it take to become a Proud Boy? Are there crazy initiation ceremonies? Is there hazing?

Are they getting jumped in and beaten until they are unconscious, then having to prove loyalty by murder or rape like Ms13?

Are they killing a Black or Hispanic prisoner like the Aryan Brotherhood?

Nope

Theyre not doing ANY of that. To become a Proud Boy, you simply need to say, I (state your name) am a Proud Western Chauvinist & I do not apologize for creating the modern world.

Oh and then yell UHURU! afterward (Uhuru means freedomin Swahili.)

As far as ranks go, there are only three levels

Rank 1: Repeat the chant by a Proud Boy chapter leader

Rank 2: You must get punched by five dudes above the belt and below the face until you can name five breakfast cereals

Rank 3: You must get a Proud Boy tattoo and quit masturbation.

But

Im going to let you in on something very few people know: theres a SECRET 4th level that they dont like to talk about publically

Rank 4: Defending yourself against Leftist domestic terrorists.

Thats IT!

THIS IS THE TERROR YOUVE BEEN WARNED ABOUT?!

A group that has been attacked and smeared more times than they have ever attacked anyone else

A group that is hated and seen as a nuisance by heavily-biased, Leftist-controlled media who even now are doing their best to smear two Proud Boys who have been convicted of assault on an ANTIFA member even AFTER it was revealed that their fighting was an act of self-defense! (Video evidence of WHO started the brawl HERE.)

Theyre facing a maximum of 20 years, while ANTIFA gets away scot-free.

Apparently, the biased media also infects the judicial system.

PATRIOTS go to jail and the aggressors are the VICTIMS.

Regardless, I hope this gives you a better idea of WHAT the Proud Boys are

Theyre us. Theyre patriots who have a deep love for their country and way of life. Id like to think theres a little Proud Boy living in ALL of us he just needs to be woken up.

Read more:

The Proud Boys What Are They Proud Of? - Freedom Wire

Three schools in Vancouver, Washington went into lockdown Friday after a group of anti-mask protesters that included the Proud Boys attempted to gain entry and disrupt the school day.

Skyview High School, Alki Middle School, and Chinook Elementary were on high alert after local members of the Proud Boys extremist gang, frustrated parents of students, and other anti-maskers rallied against the requirement that students, staff, and teachers wear face coverings.

The incident is just the latest example of the Proud Boys teaming up with anti-maskers to threaten school boards, from Florida to New Hampshire, over COVID mandates.

On Friday, the Proud Boys attempted to escort a freshman student seeking a medical exemption from the mask mandate into the Vancouver school, according to witnesses cited by Oregon Public Broadcasting. The attempted incursion prompted the call for lockdown.

The freshmans mom, Megan Gabriel, had claimed that the mask could trigger panic attacks in her daughter. The school had declined the request.

Patriot Prayer, a local far-right group, rallied supporters by saying that students would be arrested if they refused to comply with the mask mandate, according to Oregon Public Broadcasting. The claim was untrue.

Carrying signs that read Masking kids=abuse and Medical choice: Your body, your choice, demonstrators rallied in front of the schools and on the sidewalks near buses. Some protesters shouted slurs at female students, security guards told OPB.

Chris Erdman, a career specialist at Skyview High School, told The Daily Beast Friday that the lockdown lasted roughly half an hour but otherwise didnt interrupt school business.

He said of the protest, Its a thing thats happening outside, but students seem to be calm. Its mostly like Let them do their thing. School is continuing.

A 16-year-old student named Lucas told OPB, All the learning gets disrupted. We have to sit down quietly, not make noise, and we were hunkered down in our classrooms for around an hour to an hour-and-a-half. He said he later handed out masks to the protesters.

Kyle Sproul, school board president of Vancouver Public Schools, told OPB, Regardless of ones stance on mask mandates, I think most parents in our community agree that protesting at our school campuses and disrupting the school day is not in the best interest of students.

The Clark County sheriffs office, whose jurisdiction includes Skyview, did not immediately respond to request for comment.

There have been a rash of disturbing COVID-related dust-ups at schools around the country. On Thursday, a father stormed into an elementary school principals office in Arizona with a friend wielding plastic handcuffs, insisting the school broke the law by asking his child and six others to wear a mask and quarantine after being in close contact with someone who tested positive for COVID-19.

Link:

Anti-Mask Protests and Proud Boys Shut Down Three Schools in Vancouver - Daily Beast

(RNS) Portland, much like the rest of the nation, has been dealt innumerable difficulties in recent years. The reality of climate change has brought extraordinary temperatures and wildfires. Weve been challenged by the Black Lives Matter movement to address longstanding racial justice issues. COVID-19 has battered the entire state.

To top it off, the Proud Boys and Patriot Prayer, two far-right political groups, keep descending on the City of Roses with the clear intent of inciting violence.

The Proud Boys have been designated a hate group by the Southern Poverty Law Center. NPR reported in 2018 that the FBI had declared them an extremist group with ties to white nationalism. In May, Canada designated the Proud Boys a terrorist entity, and it has been widely reported that Proud Boys were prominent leaders in the Jan. 6 insurrection at the U.S. Capitol.

RELATED: Hate watch groups voice alarm about Sean Feuchts Portland security volunteers

Last month, when the Proud Boys assembled in Northeast Portlands Parkrose community, I was there. Here is what I saw.

The original plan for Aug. 22, according to news reports, was for the Proud Boys to rally in downtown Portland. However, after counter-demonstrations materialized, the Proud Boys apparently decided to relocate to an abandoned Kmart parking lot near the Portland airport. I parked on the edge of that parking lot to listen in on what the Proud Boys called their Summer of Love event.

Armed with paintball guns, bats and other weapons, speaker after speaker assailed the Black Lives Matter movement. Echoing language used by Vladimir Putin, a banner was unfurled atop the abandoned Kmart demanding the release of political prisoners arrested for participating in the Jan. 6 attack. Proud Boys leader Tusitala Tiny Toese, who has been convicted for employing violence at protests, called for violence against the LGBTQ community. Others railed against vaccinated people and mask-wearing to curtail the pandemic.

As a minister in the United Church of Christ, I was particularly interested in how the Proud Boys used their rally to promote Christian nationalism. Jesus was not meek, a speaker told the crowd, trying to draw a parallel between Jesus and the tough-guy Proud Boys. Trust Jesus was an oft-repeated phrase at the rally (and also emblazoned on sweatshirts).

They claimed that white men, not people of color, religious minorities or women, are the real victims of discrimination and hatred. Missing was any mention of loving God or neighbors, the Greatest Commandment.

As I observed the proceedings, I shared thoseobservations on Twitter. Once the Proud Boys realized I was in the area, they crossed the parking lot to my Jeep, which they surrounded and pounded on several times, all while demanding that I leave. I was called a fag and told that real Christians are Proud Boys.

Finally, with the attention of the Proud Boys momentarily turned to counter-protesters across the street, I left. While I had not come to fight, it was clear the Proud Boys were there for just that reason.

Unfortunately, Antifa activists, the loose-knit anti-fascist group, decided to join the fray. If the Proud Boys had come looking for a fight, Antifa, as usual, came prepared to give them one. As Antifa entered the Kmart parking lot, the Proud Boys began a relentless assault. As Oregon Public Broadcasting reported: The Proud Boys rally ended with a roving brawl along busy city streets in the Parkrose neighborhood, and shots being fired in downtown Portland.

Astonishingly, Portland Mayor Ted Wheeler ordered Portland Police not to intervene. After the fights broke out, OPB wrote, Toese and other Proud Boys continued to drive around the Parkrose neighborhood shooting paintballs at people. Parkrose is one of Portlands most diverse communities.

The Proud Boys are a threat to democracy. Antifa, whose activists assaulted a journalist trying to cover events on Aug. 22, is not the antidote to the Proud Boys. I find it disheartening that a small group of clergy, under the umbrella of Portland Interfaith Clergy Resistance, provides moral cover for Antifa and anarchists, seemingly regardless of what they might do.

Anti-democratic forces feed off chaos. Turning up over and over to fight the Proud Boys has given these far-right thugs precisely what they want.

I wish I had a Tweet-sized answer to political violence in the United States. I dont. At the very least, the federal government needs to combat the growing threat of right-wing domestic terrorism. If Portlands mayor refuses to defend democracy, President Joe Biden must.

RELATED: Proud Boys leader sentenced to five months for burning church banner

Churches must also condemn the white nationalism advanced by the Proud Boys and their allies and become intentional about anti-racism work. For democracy to work, all of us must become active citizens and work toward the ideal of the Beloved Community.

Rev. Dr. Chuck Currie. Photo courtesy of Curries website

Otherwise, Portland and the rest of the United States will resemble the hate-filled vision offered up by the Proud Boys. Unfortunately, we are too close to that ugly vision already.

(The Rev. Dr. Chuck Currieis an ordained minister in the United Church of Christ. He lives in Portland, Oregon, and can be reached on Twitter@revchuckcurrie. The views expressed in this commentary do not necessarily reflect those of Religion News Service.)

See more here:

The Proud Boys came to Portland. Here is what I saw. - Religion News Service

What kind of world are we leaving for future generations?

Children need all the love, guidance, protection and education from their families and community as we navigate our changing world.

Children are dependent on adults to responsibly make decisions safeguarding their health and safety. That meansholding leaders accountable for their actions and making sure our children grow up in a healthy, non-toxic environment, with breathable air, clean drinking water and safe schools with resources available to promote their well-being as they develop.

Todays children witness violence, see and experience Earth ravaged by extreme weather and are enduring a virulent pandemic. Children have become pawns in political division as they watch adults verbally and physically attack each other with every passing day.

Are these the images and messages we want our children to witness? Are we adults doing everything we possibly can to give our children security and safekeeping for their future?

For so many children, their pure joy and innocence has been thwarted during this pandemic, and they bravely wear their badges of courage wherever they are. They have become the mature, forward-thinking adults in our society.

Sadly, their sweet bodies are now filling hospital beds. We have failed our children. They have become the victims of our self-righteous, uncivil selfishness. I hope someday they forgive us.

Debra Randolph, Salem

Delta surge in Oregon: COVID hospitalizations in Oregon could hit peak on Labor Day

Stop signs and traffic lights protectme and other drivers, pedestrians of all ages and our pets.Stop signs and lights are for all drivers and pedestrians alike, no exceptions.We developed them to help ensure the safety of all.

Ignoring traffic signs and lights is an option.But why would you choose to risk your own safety and the safety of others?

That question comes to mind when thinking about people who chose not to get the COVID-19 vaccine.We have enough data to know the vaccine protects the vast majority of recipients from hospitalizations and death.The vaccine curtails the development of new variants; that is so important because these variants fuel the pandemic, killing or rendering unvaccinated folks seriously ill.

Most of us obey traffic lights because they keep us safe, and hopefully because we care about the safety of others.

Why not take advantage of the green light in the vaccine line? Help yourself and others stay healthy, do your part to put an end to this pandemic so we can return to the activities we have missed the last 18 months, so our businesses can again provide us with services we all want, and so our schools become safer for students and teachers.

Kathleen Hynes, Salem

Coronavirus in Oregon: State fairgoers continue to flout mask mandate despite complaints

I want to thank all who wrote in the Aug. 29 letters about encouraging everyone to get immunized for the good of all. This virus has nothing to do with politics, it will kill Republicans, Democrats, Independents and anyone of any religion.

I hope none of youthat refuse to get vaccinatedand wear a maskwill ever experience the nightmare of losing a loved one.

I agree with Kathleen Kercheskiand want to go a step further:What is proud about the Proud Boys? You areboys, bad boys. To intimidatewomen and children and to ignore the laws of the countryshould make your parents and you ashamed. If you want to be something to be proud of, enlist in the military and defend the Constitution instead of trashing it.

You have no ideawhat women who seek help at Planned Parenthood endure. If a woman has to make the terrible choice of abortion, this is between her and her doctor and her religion. By the way, where are the menwho got them pregnant?

Also to the Salem Police, you had every right to arrest theseanarchistsbut you chose to wait untilsomeone was injured. This does not inspire trust in the police.

Sylvia Scantlin, Salem

COVID-19 cases spike in Aurora: Fire chief refuses to enforce vaccine mandate

Gov. KateBrown has crossed the line. The vaccine mandate will cause too many healthcare workers to quit and our medical system will collapse.

Her No. 1 agenda in February will be to push for permanent legislation requiring vaccinations for all medical staff. Meanwhile, thousands of healthcare employees will have their livelihoods threatened in a misguided attempt at safety.

The real issue, though, is the governor's emergency powers. We would not be in this situation if she didnt have the ability to indefinitely extend her emergency powers. The real agenda for our Legislature needs to be emergency power reform.

No governor, under any circumstances,should ever be allowed emergency powers for longer than a month or two without consent from the peoples representatives in the Legislature. Oregon law needs to be changed.

Michael Robinson, Salem

For subscribers: Highway redesign proposal could offer easier - and safer - drive to the coast

Some of the older generation (like me) will remember thenewspaper columnist named Ann Landers. She often used the phrase "wake up and smell the coffee."

That phrase is so appropriate today, an age when many seem so unaware of things that are happening here and around the world.

Many in America are unaware of how much of the world's population lives in poverty, often starving with no way to get food, shelter or even a cup of clean water. Others are persecuted for their faith, living each day in fear of dying for their beliefs.

We have so much to be thankful for, yet so many seem to have little appreciation for the great freedom and blessings we enjoy each day, the privilege of being born and raised in America.

It's time to remember the principles our nation was founded upon, to quit our bellyaching,be grateful for all we have and be there for our needy brothers and sisters around the world.

Dixie L. Truax, Salem

For subscribers: Calamitous east winds fueled Labor Day Fires blowup last year. Will they come again?

On recent trips to Fred Meyer, Safeway, and WinCo, I have noticed there are well over 30 brands of bottled or canned water and seltzer products available.

Where do all these companies get their water? And, have any drought-stricken municipalities or their government officials considered the possibility of partnering or outright purchasing water from the identified sources available to these bottlers?

It seems to me that, especially the bottlers located in drought-affected areas, some companies might have already pursued this idea out of community concern? I'm just offering this as "water for thought"

Mike Whalen, Salem

More:

Letters to the Editor: COVID-19, emergency powers and Proud Boys - Statesman Journal