Proud Boys Loses Trademark to Black D.C. Church
The Metropolitan African Methodist Episcopal Church of Washington, D.C. has taken claim of the Proud Boys trademark nearly four years after being attacked by the extremist group.
According to "The New York Times," the historical Black church was given possession of the Proud Boys trademark after a decision by D.C. Superior Court Judge Tanya M. Jones Bosier. The ruling disallows the group from using their original trademark and selling licensed products without the church's consent.
On December 12, 2020, the Proud Boys held a protest dedicated to President Donald Trump, in which the church was vandalized, namely a Black Lives Matter sign. The all-male group was ordered to pay the church $2.8 million, but the decision involving their trademark was made because it was not fulfilled.
In an X post following the news, Proud Boys founder Enrique Tarrio promised to “African Methodist Episcopal Boys” before sharing a lengthy statement in response to “NYT.”
“This church has engaged in a campaign of harassment and falsehoods, evidenced by their every filed motion,” Tarrio claimed. He demanded that the church’s “non-profit status [be] revoked immediately.”
Following his inauguration on January 20, President Trump pardoned Tarrio, who had been serving a 22-year sentence related to his involvement in the January 6, 2021 U.S. Capitol building attack.