For damaging a "Black Lives Matter" sign in 2020, a judge ordered Proud Boys members to pay over $1 million to a predominantly black church in Washington, D.C.
A civil lawsuit involving property damage to the Metropolitan African Methodist Episcopal Church included the fine. According to CNN, DC Superior Court Judge Neal E. Kravitz approved the verdict against Proud Boys members John Turano, Jeremy Bertino, Joseph R. Biggs, and Enrique Tarrio on Friday.
In addition, the group's limited liability corporation will pay a fine for failing to appear in court.
The vandalism to the BLM sign occurred in December 2020 while former President Donald Trump was attempting to annul the results of the 2020 election. Members of the extreme right tore down a BLM banner that belonged to another Methodist church and set fire to a sign on the Metropolitan AME property.
The "attack" on the black church, according to Kravitz, was "highly orchestrated" and featured "hateful and overtly racist conduct." The company is required to pay the church $1.03 million as part of his 34-page decision.
The Proud Boys "incited and committed acts of violence against members of Black and African American communities across the country," Kravitz wrote, adding that Metropolitan AME leaders and congregation members have supported racial justice and civil rights movements for generations. In addition, they have victimized immigrants, women, Muslims, Jews, and other historically marginalized groups.
A civil lawsuit involving property damage to the Metropolitan African Methodist Episcopal Church included the fine. According to CNN, DC Superior Court Judge Neal E. Kravitz approved the verdict against Proud Boys members John Turano, Jeremy Bertino, Joseph R. Biggs, and Enrique Tarrio on Friday.
In addition, the group's limited liability corporation will pay a fine for failing to appear in court.
The vandalism to the BLM sign occurred in December 2020 while former President Donald Trump was attempting to annul the results of the 2020 election. Members of the extreme right tore down a BLM banner that belonged to another Methodist church and set fire to a sign on the Metropolitan AME property.
The "attack" on the black church, according to Kravitz, was "highly orchestrated" and featured "hateful and overtly racist conduct." The company is required to pay the church $1.03 million as part of his 34-page decision.
The Proud Boys "incited and committed acts of violence against members of Black and African American communities across the country," Kravitz wrote, adding that Metropolitan AME leaders and congregation members have supported racial justice and civil rights movements for generations. In addition, they have victimized immigrants, women, Muslims, Jews, and other historically marginalized groups.
