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Members of the »Proud Boys«
Photo: Allison Dinner / AP
Canada's parliament takes action against the "Proud Boys".
The Ottawa MPs called on Prime Minister Justin Trudeau's government to classify the right-wing organization as a "terrorist group".
The parliamentarians unanimously accepted a corresponding proposal from the opposition New Democratic Party (NDP).
Members of the "Proud Boys" participated in the violent assault on the US Capitol in Washington on January 6th in order to disrupt the confirmation of the election of the new US President Joe Biden.
The government must "use all available instruments to counter the spread of groups advocating white supremacy and other hate-driven groups," the parliamentary motion said.
It should begin with the "immediate classification of the Proud Boys as a terrorist group."
The push has so far not been binding.
However, the government in Ottawa has already stated that the Proud Boys are being observed and evidence of possible classification as a terrorist organization is being gathered.
The "Proud Boys" are considered to be particularly prone to violence.
In the past year, the group had repeatedly fought violent clashes with left activists in the USA.
Ex-President Donald Trump, on the other hand, had shown closeness to them during the election campaign.
In a TV duel he had addressed the sometimes heavily armed “Proud Boys” with the call to “hold back and stand by”.
Trump later said he didn't know the group.
The organization also has supporters in Canada.
In 2017, five “Proud Boys” made negative headlines in the ranks of the Canadian Navy when they disrupted a celebration by Indians in Halifax.
Dozens of international movements are on the terrorist list in Canada, including Al-Qaeda, Hezbollah, the Taliban and the Islamic State (IS) militia.
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as / AFP