Proud Boys Lose Rights to Group's Name to Black Church They Vandalized

Source: Reach Media Inc. / Getty / Reach Media Inc./ Getty

A D.C. Superior Court Judge has granted control of the Proud Boys trademark to the Metropolitan African Methodist Episcopal Church after the group failed to pay a $2.8 million judgment. The ruling, made on Monday, gives the church rights over the far-right group’s name and symbols, and prevents Proud Boys members from selling merchandise with the group’s branding without the church’s consent. The church is also allowed to try to seize any money made from selling such merchandise.

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The church filed the lawsuit after members of the Proud Boys vandalized it during a pro-Donald Trump rally in December 2020. At that rally, Black Lives Matter banners were torn down and burned at two churches, including the Metropolitan African Methodist Church. There were also violent clashes between protesters, resulting in arrests that night. Enrique Tarrio, who was the Proud Boys leader at the time, admitted to participating in the burning of the banners and was later sentenced to more than five months in jail for these and other charges. Tarrio was also sentenced to 22 years in federal prison for his role in the January 6, 2021, Capitol riot.

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Tarrio, who was pardoned by President Trump on his first day in office, later expressed frustration with the court system. On social media, he wrote, “The presiding judge has denied due process to myself and the other defendants, preventing us from presenting a proper defense.” He also joked about the Proud Boys possibly renaming themselves “African Methodist Episcopal Boys” and asked for name suggestions.

The church’s lawsuit, filed in 2023, called the actions of the Proud Boys on December 12, 2020, “acts of terror” intended to intimidate church members. After the Proud Boys failed to respond to the case or make any payments, the church filed a motion in December to gain control of the trademark.

Related Article: Ex-Proud Boys Leader Who Helped Orchestrate Jan. 6 Is Asking Trump For Full Pardon

Related Article: D.C. Police Colluded With Proud Boys Leader Before Arresting Enrique Tarrio

A lawyer for the church did not comment, and Tarrio’s attorney declined to respond to requests for comment.

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Maria’s Front Page News: Proud Boys Lose Rights to Group’s Name and Trademark to Black Church They Vandalized  was originally published on ronerickeysmileymorningshow.staging.go.ione.nyc