The leader of the Proud Boys has confessed to torching a Black Lives Matter banner at a Washington, DC church last weekend after the FBI opened a “hate crime” probe into the incident, but maintains he did nothing illegal.
The chairman of the controversial group, Enrique Tarrio, admitted to the stunt in a post to Parler early on Friday morning, saying that while he did burn the BLM banner during a political rally last week, “there was no hate crime committed.”
“Against the wishes of my attorney I am here today to admit that I am the person responsible for the burning of this sign,” Tarrio wrote, adding “I didn’t do it out of hate…I did it out of love,” and that the sign-burning “wasn’t about race, religion or political ideology,” but rather “a racist movement that has terrorized the citizens of this country.”
The only hate there is in my heart is for communism and an authoritarian government. BLM is a Marxist movement. It isn’t about the color of someone’s skin…Come get me if you feel like what I did was wrong.
Proud Boys Leader Enrique Tarrio is taking responsibility for the burnt BLM flag in Washington D.C. The FBI is investigating this as a hate crime. “The burning of this banner wasn’t about race, religion, or political ideology.” pic.twitter.com/N6DrpnObsi
The mea culpa came after both local police and the FBI launched a hate crime investigation into the episode, offering $1,000 and $2,000 rewards, respectively, for information leading to an arrest, according to the Associated Press. In addition to the destroyed BLM banner, authorities also alleged damage was done to local churches.
READ MORE: WATCH Proud Boys torching BLM banner amid violence-marred protest day in DC
The incident took place during a rally in the nation’s capital last weekend in support of President Donald Trump. Footage of the sign-burning captured by RT’s video agency, Ruptly, showed one man dousing the banner with fuel to chants of “f**k Antifa!” and “USA!” from a rowdy crowd. A second BLM banner was also apparently pulled off another church and torched, though it’s unclear whether Torrio’s admission referred to both incidents.
The Proud Boys and Trump supporters burn the BLM banner while chanting and cheering in downtown DC: pic.twitter.com/L16azBBhbr
It would appear there was another incident as well. https://t.co/tZ4SVcGkb6
The MAGA rally saw brawls between supporters and opponents of the president later in the night, with police making several arrests and four people being rushed to the hospital in serious condition after they were reportedly stabbed in a bar fight. The establishment, Harry’s Bar, is a known hangout for Proud Boys members, and was the scene of one of Saturday’s sign burnings, according to journalist Ford Fischer.
PHOTOS I captured last night: After looting a #BlackLivesMatter banner from Asbury United Methodist Church, the Proud Boys pose with it before setting it on fire outside Harry’s Bar in Washington DC. pic.twitter.com/emyRW0YGqj
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