New video shows far-right ‘Proud Boys’ starting New York street brawl

New video released by The New York Times on Sunday shows members of the far-right “Proud Boys” group starting a brawl in Manhattan that led to several arrests. 

The footage, recently obtained by the newspaper, contradicts the initial claim from “Proud Boys” founder Gavin McInnes that anti-fascist protesters had sparked the fight.

{mosads}Prosecutors have reportedly said in court that video evidence will prove that the group started the fight, which occurred outside the Metropolitan Republican Club on the Upper East Side in mid-October. 

The incident occurred immediately after McInnes gave a speech at the club that night. Previous video footage from the New York Police Department showed several members of the Proud Boys fighting with anti-fascist demonstrators, who had come to the club to protest. 

On Friday at approx 8:23 pm there was an altercation which was widely distributed via social media on 82nd between Lexington to Park, here’s another angle of the video. We need your help identifying these individuals please contact @NYPDTips 800-577-TIPSpic.twitter.com/ndII6m0aLc

— NYPD NEWS (@NYPDnews) October 15, 2018

The brawl has led to 10 arrests in the following weeks. The Times reports that the group’s members have been charged with riot and attempted assault as part of a probe into the group’s activities. 

McInnes has denied that the “Proud Boys” is a white nationalist or alt-right organization. 

The Times reported that police had managed to keep the left-wing protesters separated from people who had attended the event. But police told the newspaper that a handful of protesters tried to intercept members of the Proud Boys. 

Security video from a nearby building showed two men in Proud Boys shirts, identified as Maxwell Hare and Geoffrey Young, walking towards about six protesters. Hare can then be seen charging the protesters, leading one to throw a plastic bottle in his direction. 

Hare collides with one protester before repeatedly throwing punches. 

The Times noted that before he charged, a different video shot by a freelance videographer recorded someone yelling, “Proud Boys! You ready? Proud Boys!” 

The two videos showed that more men rushed to the scene of the fight within seconds. The brawl lasted about one minute, according to the Times. 

Young and Hare have both pleaded not guilty, according to the Times. The newspaper noted that they have claimed through their lawyers that they were the ones attacked. 

The Times noted that prosecuters have faced challenges in cases related to the brawl because victims have declined to cooperate, meaning prosecutors will have to rely heavily on security footage and witnesses.