Proud Boys
Proud Boys
Status: Active · Founded 01/01/2016
Proud Boys is a U.S.-based, male-only right-wing extremist organization founded in 2016 by Gavin McInnes. The group has described itself as a “Western chauvinist” fraternity. Its national leadership and members have figured in documented federal cases concerning the January 6, 2021 attack on the U.S. Capitol; those cases and later clemency are described with their distinct procedural outcomes in this record.
Documented claims
The Anti-Defamation League reports that, after January 6, the Proud Boys’ national leadership structure fragmented and more localized chapters operated with limited inter-chapter organization. It reports the group claims 146 officially recognized chapters in 47 U.S. states, plus international chapters; this is the group’s claimed count, not an independently verified membership total.
- Proud Boys — Anti-Defamation League [Context]
On February 3, 2025, the Superior Court of the District of Columbia ordered that Proud Boys International, L.L.C.’s interests in the Proud Boys trademark be transferred to Metropolitan African Methodist Episcopal Church as part of enforcement of a default judgment. The order concerns the named legal entity and trademark rights; it does not by itself establish that all Proud Boys chapters ceased operating.
- Metropolitan African Methodist Episcopal Church v. Proud Boys International, L.L.C., et al. — Default Judgment Order — Superior Court of the District of Columbia (02/03/2025) [Primary]
A January 20, 2025 presidential proclamation commuted the sentences of Ethan Nordean, Joseph Biggs, Zachary Rehl, and Dominic Pezzola to time served for January 6-related offenses and granted a full, complete, and unconditional pardon to other people convicted of such offenses. The proclamation’s different forms of clemency are stated here according to its terms.
- Granting Pardons and Commutation of Sentences for Certain Offenses Relating to the Events at or Near the United States Capitol on January 6, 2021 — The White House (01/20/2025) [Primary]
- Trump grants clemency to all defendants in Jan. 6 cases — NPR (01/21/2025) [Corroborating]
The U.S. Department of Justice announced that, on May 4, 2023, a jury convicted former national chairman Enrique Tarrio and Proud Boys leaders Ethan Nordean, Joseph Biggs, and Zachary Rehl of multiple felonies, including seditious conspiracy, for conduct before and during January 6, 2021. The convictions concern named individuals and do not establish responsibility for every Proud Boys member.
- Jury Convicts Four Leaders of the Proud Boys of Seditious Conspiracy Related to U.S. Capitol Breach — U.S. Department of Justice, U.S. Attorney's Office for the District of Columbia (05/04/2023) [Primary]
The Proud Boys was founded in 2016 by Gavin McInnes. The Anti-Defamation League reports that McInnes described the group as a “Western chauvinist” and “pro-Western” fraternity.
- Proud Boys — Anti-Defamation League [Context]
- Proud Boys founder denies inciting violence, responds to whether he feels responsible for group’s behavior — ABC News (12/12/2018) [Corroborating]
Relationships
01/01/2016
- Proud Boys — Anti-Defamation League [Context]
- Proud Boys founder denies inciting violence, responds to whether he feels responsible for group’s behavior — ABC News (12/12/2018) [Corroborating]
- Leader of Proud Boys and Four Other Members Indicted in Federal Court For Seditious Conspiracy and Other Offenses Related to U.S. Capitol Breach — U.S. Department of Justice, U.S. Attorney's Office for the District of Columbia (06/06/2022) [Primary]
01/06/2021
- Jury Convicts Four Leaders of the Proud Boys of Seditious Conspiracy Related to U.S. Capitol Breach — U.S. Department of Justice, U.S. Attorney's Office for the District of Columbia (05/04/2023) [Primary]
- Leader of Proud Boys and Four Other Members Indicted in Federal Court For Seditious Conspiracy and Other Offenses Related to U.S. Capitol Breach — U.S. Department of Justice, U.S. Attorney's Office for the District of Columbia (06/06/2022) [Primary]