National
Location:
Category:
Pro-Violence
Status:
Active
Background
The Proud Boys is a national organization with local chapters in states across the country that has been associated with political violence since its founding in 2016. The group was started by Gavin McInnes, a far-right online commentator. It gained notoriety and a rise in the number of members after the 2020 debate during which Trump told the Proud Boys to “stand back and stand by.”
Ideology
Violence has been a defining feature of the Proud Boys throughout its existence. The fourth level of becoming a Proud Boy “is reserved for those who have gotten in a ‘fight for the cause.’” Though ostensibly that requirement was abolished by Proud Boys leadership in October 2018, Proud Boys continued to be involved in violent skirmishes with their adversaries, particularly in Portland, Oregon during the Black Lives Matter protests.
The Proud Boys self-describe themselves as “western chauvinists,” romanticizing “a traditional, male-dominated version of Western culture.” Their ideology is “primarily misogynistic, Islamophobic, transphobic, and anti-immigration.” While many members dabble in white supremacy and anti-semitism, leaders of the organization insist that the Proud Boys is not a racist organization.
Proud Boys
Tactics
Proud Boys typically engage in public rallies and protests. Members of the Proud Boys played a critical role in the January 6, 2021 attack on the Capitol interrupting the certification of the 2020 election. Multiple leaders were convicted of sedition for their roles in that day’s events. The Proud Boys was designated a terrorist organization by the Canadian government in 2021 following its involvement in the storming of the Capitol.
Utah Connections
Five members of the Salt Lake chapter of the Proud Boys protested outside an all-ages drag show at Tea Zaanti in January 2023. Members frequently wear black polo shirts with yellow trim and other yellow accessories to events, and many use tactical vests and carry weapons.
