Proud Boys leader ordered to stay out of DC until hearing

A judge in Washington, D.C., ordered the co-founder and leader of the Proud Boys to remain outside of the District of Columbia until his next court hearing after being charged Monday with vandalism of a historically Black church in the city.

WTOP reported that D.C. Superior Court Magistrate Judge Renee Raymond ordered Henry “Enrique” Tarrio to remain outside of the district until his June hearing over an incident in December in which a number of individuals apparently affiliated with the Proud Boys were seen on video ripping a “Black Lives Matter” banner off of the Metropolitan AME church in Washington, D.C., before burning it.

Tarrio reportedly asked the judge to only ban him from Black Lives Matter plaza near the White House in downtown D.C., but that request was denied. Tarrio was arrested Monday upon his arrival in the city and charged with destruction of property, and also received weapons charges after he was found to be in possession of two illegal high-capacity firearm magazines.

During the hearing, Raymond reportedly indicated that she did not believe that signs, banners and other personal property in support of the Black Lives Matter movement around the city would be safe if Tarrio was permitted in the city.

“There are ‘Black Lives Matter’ banners, posters, placards, signs in front of people’s homes and the like throughout Washington, D.C.,” she said, according to WTOP.

Tarrio, who is Afro-Cuban, has denied that the right-wing Proud Boys organization he co-founded with former Vice Media executive Gavin McInnes is a racist organization, though their members often espouse racist and sexist remarks.

The group has frequently clashed with left-leaning protesters, often violently, and declared opposition to the Black Lives Matter movement and support for members of law enforcement.