Historic Black Church Sues Proud Boys for ‘Terror’ and Vandalism on Streets of Washington, D.C.

Members of the Proud Boys kick a member of Antifa on the ground during a protest on Dec. 12, 2020 in Washington, D.C. A historic Black church in the nation’s capital sued the Proud Boys and its leader Enrique Tarrio on Monday, in a lawsuit accusing them of acts of terror and vandalism that opened up “a new and dangerous chapter in the long and terrible history of white supremacist mob violence targeting Black houses of worship.” “White supremacists like the Proud Boys, would rather see the country burn than to see it united together under justice and freedom for all,” Kristen Clarke , the president and executive director of the Lawyers’ Committee for Civil Rights Under Law, said in a statement. “Black churches and other religious institutions have a long and ugly history of being targeted by white supremacists in racist and violent attacks meant to intimidate and create fear. Our lawsuit aims to hold those who engage in such action accountable.” On Dec. 12, hundreds of Proud Boys stormed around Washington, D.C., leaving behind a wake of violence that included four stabbings, a reported gunshot and acts of vandalism. The Metropolitan African Methodist Episcopal Church—the spiritual home of many legendary Black figures like Frederick Douglass —called it “no accident” that the group visited and damaged its property. “For several months, defendants planned and coordinated their efforts, both on the internet and in person,” the complaint states. “They exhorted each other with inflammatory language: ‘buy ammo [and] clean your guns’ and ‘[t]onight we don’t sleep . . . . Tonight we keep our enemies awake. Tonight we become nightmares.'” Tarrio, the Proud Boys chairman, boasted that he burned a Black Lives Matter banner stolen from the church. Sharing an article headline “Proud boys chairman says he is ‘damn proud’ for burning the Black Lives Matter banner of a historic Black church after Trump march,” Tarrio took a screenshot and posted another chest-thumping declaration on Parler: “I’ll say it again… and I’ll say it loud for the people in the back… I’M DAMN PROUD I DID IT!” The screenshot of the post is included in the complaint, which quotes approval from his far-right brethren: “Proud of your f*cking boy, Enrique,” the group’s organizer Joe Biggs is quoted as saying. On Dec. 22, Tarrio remained unrepentant after sharing a graphic mocking the possibility of an FBI investigation into his act as a hate crime. “I’LL FUCKING DO IT AGAIN,” Tarrio posted. Outgoing President Donald Trump’s refusal to denounce the group during a debate with President-elect Joe Biden and his cryptic remarks that their members should “stand down and standby” has been interpreted by many, including the Proud Boys’ ranks, as a tacit endorsement and call for vigilantism. As Trump embraces desperate last-ditch efforts to stay in power, Proud Boys have answered his call on Twitter to take to the streets on Jan. 6. Tarrio explicitly adopted the language of war in calling for “1000 boots on the ground” on that date, saying that the group will go “incognito” rather than wear their “traditional Black and Yellow” colors, according to the complaint. Metropolitan AME wants punitive damages, a declaration that group violated the D.C. Bias-Related Crime Act, and a possible injunction, leveling five counts including bias-related conspiracy, conversion, trespass, and intentional destruction of religious property. Citing a Nov. 20th episode of the group’s show WarBoys, their ranks also plan to disrupt Biden’s inauguration to Jan. 20. Read the complaint below: (Photo by Stephanie Keith/Getty Images)
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