Proud Boys Leader Arrested For Burning BLM Flag

The politicized, dual justice system at work

Proud Boys leader arrested on charges related to burning of Black Lives Matter banner, police say

Proud Boys chairman Enrique Tarrio was arrested Monday afternoon in Washington, D.C., shortly after landing in the nation’s capital to attend rallies protesting President Donald Trump’s loss in November’s election.

Tarrio, 36, was on a phone call with a USA TODAY reporter when the call was interrupted by loud sirens. He joked that “They’re for me,” and then, sounding confused, asked the driver of the car he was riding in to pull over. Tarrio told the reporter, “Here’s something to write about,” before hanging up the call.

In a statement, the Metropolitan Police Department said Tarrio was arrested and charged with destruction of property in connection with an incident last month where Tarrio set fire to a Black Lives Matter banner after a Trump rally. The banner had been taken from a historic Black church.

Tarrio later boasted about it on social media. Officials said Tarrio, who is a convicted felon, was arrested while in possession of two high-capacity firearm magazines and was additionally charged with “Possession of High Capacity Feeding Device.”

I’m in no way a fan of the Proud Boys. Exactly the opposite. But, let’s consider that the BLM protesters have been allowed to run roughshod over the District Of Columbia for a goodly chunk of this year. Arson, mayhem, assault, property destruction, vandalism, harassment, criminal intimidation, and so much more. They were allowed to paint BLM and other stuff on the streets with no government response. Those few arrested, even for assaulting law enforcement and private citizens, have mostly been let go, charges dropped.

In this case, the D.C. police literally sent officers to arrest him for burning a banner. Were they tracking him? How’d they know he just flew in and what car he was in? Further, he had no firearm, just some magazines, and that’s illegal? He should not have taken and burned the banner, that was wrong, but, you can see a dual, politicized justice system here.

On the social media site Parler, favored by the Proud Boys, Tarrio’s followers expressed anger and frustration at the news of his arrest.

“They are going to try there hardest to STOP PATRIOTS from getting into DC” one user wrote.

The arrest of Tarrio will likely have implications for a slew of protests planned for the capital on Wednesday. Local law enforcement officials are already on high alert and Washington Mayor Muriel Bowser warned residents to avoid the downtown area during the protests. She said she is evaluating whether a curfew is necessary to discourage violence, according to local media reports.

There is an attempt to stop people from using their 1st Amendment Rights. Keep the Democratic Party supporting people in BLM and Antifa away and there won’t be violence.