The neo-fascist white nationalist organization, the Proud Boys, was stripped of control over their trademark name. Further, the historic Black church they vandalized legally owns the name now, and a judge ruled that the group was barred from selling any merchandise with either its name or its symbols without the consent of the Metropolitan African Methodist Episcopal Church. They’re in the finding-out stage.
The New York Times reports:
The ruling also clears the way for the church to try to seize any money that the Proud Boys might make by selling merchandise like hats or T-shirts emblazoned with their name or with any of their familiar logos, including a black and yellow laurel wreath.
In a lengthy statement, Mr. Tarrio said the church should have its nonprofit status revoked, and Judge Bosier should be impeached. “Their actions are a betrayal of justice,” he wrote, adding, “I hold in contempt any motions, judgments and orders issued against me.”
The initial judgment against the Proud Boys determined that Mr. Tarrio and other members of the group had climbed over a fence surrounding the church, which is just blocks from the White House, and burned a Black Lives Matter banner it was flying. The episode took place after a violent clash between supporters and critics of President Trump.
The church called the Proud Boys’ actions “acts of terror” in its lawsuit and said they had been meant “to intimidate the church and silence its support for racial justice.” A judge agreed, calling the Proud Boys’ conduct “hateful and overtly racist.”
In 2023, the church won a $2.8 million default judgment against the Proud Boys, which the group failed to pay, so lawyers for the church took their name.
… lawyers for the church sought to satisfy the judgment by seizing control of the trademarked name and by enjoining the group from “selling, transferring, disposing of or licensing” any merchandise using the words “Proud Boys” or any of the organization’s symbols.
Tarrio, who was pardoned by Donald, pleaded guilty to bringing a high-capacity magazine into Washington, DC. He was imprisoned for seditious conspiracy for his role in helping plan the attack on the Capitol.
This FAFO post was challenging to type out while laughing my ass off. And this judgment happened during Black History Month. I suggest Tarrio change the name to the Cry Boys.
