Proud Boys lose trademark to Black church they vandalized in 2020

The ownership of the Proud Boys’ trademark present belongs to a Black religion successful Washington, D.C., that was vandalized by the far-right radical aft a December 2020 rally supporting U.S. President Donald Trump.

A justice granted the Metropolitan African Methodist Episcopal Church implicit power implicit the group’s sanction and symbols, arsenic good arsenic the enactment to monetize them arsenic they spot fit, successful a judgement connected Monday.

Judge Tanya M. Jones Bosier of the Superior Court of the District of Columbia besides granted the Metropolitan AME Church a lien connected the trademark and the powerfulness to artifact the Proud Boys from utilizing the trademark oregon selling licensed goods, similar T-shirts, without the church’s support to bash so.

Two Black Lives Matter banners were pulled down from Metropolitan AME and different historically Black religion and past burned during clashes betwixt pro-Trump supporters and counter-demonstrators successful December 2020. The demolition took spot aft play rallies by thousands of radical successful enactment of Trump’s baseless claims that helium won a 2nd term, which led to dozens of arrests, respective stabbings and injuries to constabulary officers.

Metropolitan AME sued the Proud Boys and their leaders, alleging they violated D.C. and national instrumentality by trespassing and destroying spiritual spot successful a bias-related conspiracy.

The religion was antecedently awarded a US$2.8 cardinal (nearly C$4,000,657.25) default judgement against the Proud Boys successful 2023 but received power of the groups’ trademarked sanction erstwhile it failed to wage up.

The religion tin present prehend immoderate wealth the Proud Boys marque via “any sale, transfer, disposition oregon license” of the group’s sanction and logo, according to the order.

Enrique Tarrio, erstwhile person of the Proud Boys, shared his thoughts connected the caller judgement against the radical connected X, writing, “The ProudBoys are present changing our sanction to the…. ‘African Methodist Episcopal Boys.'”

In different lengthy statement, Tarrio accused the religion of engaging “in a run of harassment and falsehoods, evidenced by their each filed motion.”

“Furthermore, the presiding justice has denied owed process to myself and the different defendants, preventing america from presenting a due defense. We were subjected to unjust incarceration and mistreatment astatine the hands of our ain government, leaving america nary recourse,” Tarrio continued. “This organization, masquerading arsenic a church, indispensable beryllium subjected to a thorough audit, and its non-profit presumption revoked immediately.”

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Tarrio said that Jones Bosier’s conduct successful the lawsuit “necessitates impeachment and investigation,” adding that the actions are “a betrayal of justice.”

“I clasp successful contempt immoderate motions, judgments, and orders issued against me. Though the corrupt judicial strategy unjustly confined maine 2 weeks ago, my religion successful Jesus Christ has acceptable maine free,” Tarrio added.

Tarrio publicly acknowledged mounting fire to 1 banner during the 2020 play rallies. Prosecutors said the banner Tarrio had was stolen from Asbury United Methodist Church.

In July 2021, helium pleaded blameworthy to 2 misdemeanour transgression charges of spot demolition and attempted possession of a high-capacity magazine. He was sentenced to much than 5 months successful jail.

Tarrio and different members of the Proud Boys were separately convicted of seditious conspiracy charges arsenic portion of a crippled to onslaught the U.S. Capitol connected Jan. 6, 2021, successful a bid to support Trump successful powerfulness aft the Republicans mislaid the 2020 statesmanlike election. He received a 22-year condemnation successful May 2023, the longest among much than 1,100 Capitol riot cases.

He was released from situation connected Jan. 21 pursuing Trump’s wide pardon of rioters who stormed the Capitol 4 years ago.

Following his release, Tarrio told reporters that helium had rejoined the Proud Boys group. “We’ve made the determination 4 years agone not to archer the media what our operation is, but I’d suggest that the media should halt calling maine ‘ex-Proud Boy,’” helium told reporters connected Jan. 22.

—With files from The Associated Press