Black Caribbean Heritage Proud Boys Leader Indicted

By NAN STAFF WRITER

News Americas, WASHINGTON, D.C., Mar. 8, 2022: The black and Caribbean roots leader of the far-right, neo-fascist group, Proud Boys has been indicted on conspiracy and other charges related to the Jan. 6 attack on the U.S. Capitol.

Henry “Enrique” Tarrio, 38, whose roots extend to Cuba, was arrested in Miami and made a brief appearance today in federal court in Florida,

The US Justice Department alleged he developed plans with other members of the extremist group to storm the building that day. In court today, prosecutors described him as a danger to the community and said they would seek to extend his detention at a further hearing scheduled for Friday.

A judge appointed a public defender after Tarrio said he had no savings outside of the roughly $400 he makes a week at a new job printing T-shirts.

Tarrio once served as the Florida state director of the grassroots organization Latinos for Trump. In 2020, Tarrio was a candidate in the Republican primary election for Florida’s 27th congressional district but withdrew.

According to a former federal prosecutor and the transcripts of a 2014 federal court proceeding, Tarrio had previously served as an informant to both federal and local law enforcement. He had been subpoenaed by the House Select Committee on the January 6 Attack in November 2021 relating to the organization’s alleged involvement.