Enlarge image
Enrique Tarrio, former leader of the Proud Boys: Charged with seditious conspiracy
Photo: EVA MARIE UZCATEGUI / AFP
Enrique Tarrio, the former leader of the right-wing group Proud Boys, and four other members have been charged with "seditious conspiracy" in the context of the Jan. 6, 2021 attack on the US Capitol.
This is according to a court document.
All five defendants have already pleaded not guilty.
Tarrio was arrested in the spring but has since been released.
With the new indictment, the authorities are intensifying their course against the right-wing extremist organization.
Concrete plans to overthrow the government can be punished with up to 20 years in prison.
The indictment charges the men with encouraging other "Proud Boys" to come to Washington on January 6, 2021, to raise money to buy bulletproof vests and other tactical gear, to lead the crowd to the Capitol, and to to attack the police.
Tarrio is said to have received a document entitled "1776 returns," which outlined plans to occupy buildings in the Capitol complex three days before the attack.
Numerous charges already
The new riot-related charges against members of the Proud Boys are among the most serious yet, but not the first.
Eleven members of the far-right Oath Keepers militia, including its founder and leader Stewart Rhodes, were also charged in January with seditious conspiracy.
"Oath Keepers" and "Proud Boys" are also said to have cooperated.
In total, more than 725 suspects have been arrested and charged so far.
After an inciting speech by the ousted Republican President Donald Trump, his supporters stormed the seat of Congress in Washington on January 6, 2021.
They wanted to prevent the confirmation of the election victory of the Democrat Joe Biden.
The attack killed five people and injured dozens more.
The attack on the heart of US democracy shook the country and caused horror around the world.
tfb/jok/AP/Reuters