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The Proud Boys and the Aftermath of January 6th
Throughout Donald Trump’s presidency, he frequently signaled his support for far-right extremist groups. During the presidential debate on September 29, 2020, President Trump, when asked if he would condemn white supremacists and militia groups, doubled down on his support, telling the far-right extremist organization, the Proud Boys, to “stand back and stand by.” In the coming months, President Trump would use his Twitter account to dog whistle the Proud Boys, emboldening the group to prepare to commit a terrorist act in the name of defending the President and fighting for their country.
On January 6, 2021, the Proud Boys would converge on the United States Capitol along with other far-right militia groups to storm the Capitol and attempt to overturn the 2020 election results. The domestic terror attack on the United States Capitol was part of the Proud Boys’ end goal to “stop the steal” and keep President Trump in office for another four years, despite the fact he had lost the election.
Founded during the 2016 presidential election by VICE Media Co-Founder Gavin McInnes, the Proud Boys are a far-right organization that seeks to uphold Western chauvinist ideals. The Proud Boys take their name from a song from the Broadway version of Disney’s Aladdin, “Proud of Your Boy.” However, it is not all show tunes. The Proud Boys are labeled a…
