Storming the Capitol in the United States: members of the far-right group found guilty of “sedition”

Extremely rare charge. Four members of the far-right Proud Boys group involved in the storming of the US Capitol on January 6, 2021 were found guilty on Thursday of “sedition,” according to several US media outlets.

These were the five members of the group who were on trial in Washington for wreaking havoc on the Houses of Congress with a mob of supporters of Republican President Donald Trump when elected officials confirmed the election of his Democratic challenger Joe Biden. in the White House.

The jury disagreed with the fifth defendant’s “rebellious aggression” charge, but all five were also found guilty of obstructing Congress. Their former leader, Enrique Tarrio, is among the four convicted.

Hundreds of protesters

Since the January 6, 2021, attack, more than 950 supporters of former Republican President Donald Trump have been arrested and charged with undermining American democracy.

Following two other trials that ended in November and January, six members of another far-right militia, the Oath Keepers, have already been convicted of sedition, with the leader sentenced to 20 years in prison for planning to use force to oppose the government. It is difficult to prove, it is used very rarely, and the previous condemnation as such, before November and January, dates back almost a quarter of a century.

Trial period for a month

The trial of the five members of the Proud Boys began in December in a court in the federal capital. The former “national president” of the Proud Boys, Enrique Tarrio, who was arrested in Miami in March 2021, was not in Washington on January 6, but was suspected of organizing an attack on the Temple of American Democracy by members of this neo-fascist organization.

Four of his accomplices were charged with direct involvement in the attack. On video of the event, one of them, Dominic Pezzola, can be seen holding a shield stolen from the police and breaking a window in the Capitol.