WASHINGTON — A D.C. Superior Courtroom Decide has awarded an historic Black church management over the Proud Boys trademark after the group defaulted on a $2.8 million judgment.
The Monday ruling grants rights to the trademark of the far-right group’s identify to the Metropolitan African Methodist Episcopal Church in addition to barring the Proud Boys members from promoting any merchandise with the group’s identify or symbols with out the church’s consent. The ruling additionally permits the church to attempt to seize any cash created from promoting the group’s merchandise.
The church filed the lawsuit to attempt to recoup damages from vandalism made by group members after a December 2020 pro-Donald Trump rally. Black Lives Matter banners had been torn down and burned 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.
Enrique Tarrio, then the chief of the Proud Boys, confessed to taking part within the burnings and was later sentenced to greater than 5 months in jail on these and different costs. Tarrio was later sentenced to 22 years in federal jail for orchestrating the Jan. 6, 2021, riot.
On his first day in workplace, President Donald Trump granted pardons, commutations or vowed to dismiss instances towards the 1,500-plus folks charged with crimes within the Jan. 6 assault on the Capitol— together with Tarrio.
In a prolonged assertion posted to X, Tarrio wrote, “The presiding judge has denied due process to myself and the other defendants, preventing us from presenting a proper defense.” Tarrio additionally instructed in separate posts that the Proud Boys rename themselves, “African Methodist Episcopal Boys” and requested for recommendations on a brand new identify.
Case data 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 tackle related to him and one other member. The church lawsuit known 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 judgement was awarded to the church in June 2023. After no funds had been been made and no responses had been filed by the Proud Boys or their representatives, attorneys for the church filed a movement in December in search of rights to the trademark.
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.