Storming the US Capitol
Ex-leader of right-wing “Proud Boys” sentenced to 22 years in prison
A grand jury found Henry “Enrique” Tarrio guilty of “seditious conspiracy”. photo
© Allison Dinner/AP/dpa
Henry “Enrique” Tarrio has been sentenced to 22 years in prison for “seditious conspiracy” — probably the harshest sentence to date in connection with the Capitol attack. Tarrio plans to appeal.
Because of the attack on the US Capitol in January 2021, the former leader of the far-right group “Proud Boys” 22 years in prison. The sentence for Henry “Enrique” Tarrio was set on Tuesday, as the US Department of Justice announced afterwards. A jury at a court in the capital Washington had Tarrio in May for “seditious conspiracy” in the Convicted in connection with the attack on January 6, 2021. Now the sentence has been announced, several US media quoted a lawyer for Tarrios as saying that his client was planning to appeal.
The offense of “seditious conspiracy” has been used very rarely in the country’s judicial history. According to the New York Times, Tarrio was given the harshest sentence to date in connection with the Capitol attack.
On January 6, 2021, supporters of President Donald Trump, who was voted out at the time, violently stormed the seat of the US Parliament in Washington. Congress met there that day to formally confirm Democrat Joe Biden’s victory in the presidential election. Trump had previously stirred up his supporters in a speech with the false claim that he had been deprived of a victory by massive election fraud. Five people died as a result of the riots. The attack on the heart of US democracy shook the country.
Attorney General Merrick Garland said the Proud Boys played a central role in the attack. Tarrio has now learned what punishment a conspiracy to violently prevent the lawful transfer of power entails. Other members of the group had previously been sentenced to long prison terms.