A decide has awarded a historic Black church in Washington management over the Proud Boys trademark. The replace comes after the far-right group defaulted on a $2.8 million judgment. The Monday ruling within the D.C. Superior Courtroom grants rights to the trademark of the group’s title to the Metropolitan African Methodist Episcopal Church.
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What Else To Know About Proud Boys’ Trademark Loss
Moreover, the ruling bans the Proud Boys members from promoting any merchandise with its title or symbols with out the church’s consent. It additionally permits the church to attempt to snatch any cash the Proud Boys constructed from promoting the group’s merchandise.
For context, Metropolitan African Methodist Episcopal sued to recoup damages after members of the Proud Boys vandalized the church. This occurred after a pro-Donald Trump rally in December 2020. The members tore down and burned Black Lives Matter banners at two church buildings, together with Metropolitan African Methodist. There have been additionally violent clashes between opposing protesters, and arrests had been made that evening.
The church lawsuit referred to as the actions on Dec. 12, 2020, “acts of terror” and mentioned they had been meant to intimidate the members of the church. A default judgment was awarded to the church in June 2023. After the Proud Boys didn’t make its funds and to speak with the courtroom or their reps, attorneys for the church filed a movement in December in search of rights to the trademark.
Far-Rights Group Chief Reacts To Ruling
Enrique Tarrio, then the chief of the Proud Boys, confessed to collaborating within the burnings. A decide later sentenced him to greater than 5 months in jail on these and different costs. Later, he acquired a 22-year sentence in federal jail for orchestrating the Jan. 6, 2021, riot.
Fortunate for Tarrio, President Donald Trump has been lenient, to say the least, with the Proud Boys and their acts on the notorious riot. On his first day in workplace, Trump granted pardons, commutations or vowed to dismiss circumstances in opposition to the 1,500-plus individuals charged with crimes within the Jan. 6 assault on the Capitol— together with Tarrio.
Case information present the lawsuit was served to Tarrio on the federal jail the place he was housed when it was filed, in addition to to a minimum of one different deal with related to him and one other member. In a prolonged assertion posted to X, Tarrio reacted to the decide’s ruling on the group’s trademark.
“The presiding decide has denied due course of to myself and the opposite defendants, stopping us from presenting a correct protection.”
Tarrio additionally prompt in separate posts that the Proud Boys rename themselves “African Methodist Episcopal Boys ” and requested for solutions on a brand new title.
An legal professional representing the church within the civil motion didn’t reply to a request for remark. Nayib Hassan, Tarrio’s legal professional, declined to remark.
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Related Press employees contributed to this report.
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