‘I’ve Lost Everything I have Over This and I’m Happy About it.’

“I’m going to write a book.” That is what 37-year-old International Chairman of the Proud Boys Enrique Tarrio says he is going to do during his upcoming five-month sentence in the infamous D.C. Jail. “It is going to tell my story of the last five years.” That story will take readers through Enrique’s journey from joining a fledging Proud Boys organization, being elected as its chairman, and growing it to its current membership, which Enrique places at roughly 45,000 worldwide with 35,000 of those members here in the U.S.

Enrique was sentenced on August 23 for the misdemeanor charges of burning a Black Lives Matter flag back on December 12, 2020 that belonged to the Asbury United Methodist Church in D.C., and another related to possession of a high capacity magazine clip. That charge had been reduced from two felony counts (there were two magazines) and consolidated into a single misdemeanor as part of a plea deal with prosecutors.

“The day after the flag burning, the FBI made a request for any video or information relating to the incident. They indicated they were exploring it as a possible hate crime. I knew they were targeting Proud Boys. I posted on social media that I did it. They arrested me but they did not have any actual video evidence. They never have. The hate crime charge never happened and they had to settle for the misdemeanor.”