Henry Tarrio, a key figure in the American far-right, was charged Monday with “sedition.” He and four other members from the “Proud Boy” militia were accused of their involvement in the attack on the Capitol on January 6, 2021.
Five men aged between 31 and 45 were held for several months. They had been previously charged with “criminal association” in an attempt to prevent a formal procedure or to use violence. The charge of “sedition”, which is very rare and can be punished by up to 20 years imprisonment, goes even further. It is a conspiracy against the government and any of its laws.
A grand jury indicts Henry Tarrio, four of his lieutenants, and the conspiracy to infiltrate the Capitol of over 100 members of the militia, which was established in 2016. He was not there. Two days prior, he was arrested for the destruction a “Black Lives Matter” banner. Also, while he was posing with prohibited weapon chargers in Washington DC, he was also being held responsible for his arrest. On January 5, 2021, he was released with instructions to avoid Washington. According to the indictment he didn’t immediately comply and met Stewart Rhodes (his counterpart in the “Oath Keepers”) before leaving Washington.
More than 810 people were arrested and charged since the attack on the Congress headquarters by Trump supporters. This occurred after elected officials declared Joe Biden the winner in the 2020 presidential election. A few, but not all, are being charged with “sedition” by members of an alternative radical militia known as the “Oath Keepers”.
A parliamentary commission of inquiry will also be investigating the role of the former Republican president, and his family members in the coup. The long-awaited hearing will see her present her first conclusions.