Members of the far right, white supremacist group the Proud Boys marched in the streets of Washington, D.C. on Monday, celebrating the fact that Donald Trump had just been sworn into office as president of the United States.
This marks the first Proud Boys march in Washington, D.C. since January 6, 2021, when a mob of Trump loyalists — including several members of the far right group — took part in a violent breach of the U.S. Capitol building in an effort to stop the certification of Joe Biden’s electoral defeat of Trump four years ago.
Monday’s march took place during Trump’s inauguration ceremony. Donning their usual black and yellow colors, the Proud Boys were seen chanting “free our boys,” referring to members of the organization who are currently imprisoned for their roles in the Capitol attack. Some also chanted “51st state,” a reference to Trump’s recent comments about wanting to annex Canada.
Some members were seen holding up hand signs signaling their support of “white power.” Others told onlookers “we are back” as they marched by. A few held a large banner celebrating the newly sworn-in president, reading “Congratulations President Trump.”
Later on in the day, Trump pardoned more than 1,000 individuals for their involvement in the Capitol attack, referring to those still in jail awaiting trial or those who were imprisoned following conviction as “hostages.” Among those he granted commutations were 14 people — all members of either the Proud Boys or the far right Oath Keepers — who were convicted or charged with committing seditious conspiracy against the U.S. for attempting to overturn the 2020 election results.
Although he’s never formally endorsed the Proud Boys, Trump’s connection to the group goes back to that election year, when he was asked to disavow the white nationalist group while in a presidential debate with Biden. Instead, Trump told the organization to “stand back and stand by” — a response that the Proud Boys celebrated as a statement of support for the group. Trump’s refusal to dismiss them also led the group’s leaders to ready themselves for “all-out war” in support of Trump, prosecutors said in court documents from 2023.
Members of the Proud Boys “saw themselves as Donald Trump’s army, fighting to keep their preferred leader in power no matter what the law or the courts had to say about it,” prosecutors added.
Angry, shocked, overwhelmed? Take action: Support independent media.
We’ve borne witness to a chaotic first few months in Trump’s presidency.
Over the last months, each executive order has delivered shock and bewilderment — a core part of a strategy to make the right-wing turn feel inevitable and overwhelming. But, as organizer Sandra Avalos implored us to remember in Truthout last November, “Together, we are more powerful than Trump.”
Indeed, the Trump administration is pushing through executive orders, but — as we’ve reported at Truthout — many are in legal limbo and face court challenges from unions and civil rights groups. Efforts to quash anti-racist teaching and DEI programs are stalled by education faculty, staff, and students refusing to comply. And communities across the country are coming together to raise the alarm on ICE raids, inform neighbors of their civil rights, and protect each other in moving shows of solidarity.
It will be a long fight ahead. And as nonprofit movement media, Truthout plans to be there documenting and uplifting resistance.
As we undertake this life-sustaining work, we appeal for your support. We have 10 days left in our fundraiser: Please, if you find value in what we do, join our community of sustainers by making a monthly or one-time gift.