ORLANDO, Fla. — Five individuals affiliated with the Proud Boys, a far-right extremist organization, have initiated legal action, asserting their constitutional rights were breached during the prosecution for their roles in the January 6, 2021, assault on the U.S. Capitol. The lawsuit was filed in federal court in Orlando by Enrique Tarrio, the former chairman of the Proud Boys, along with Joseph Biggs, Zachary Rehl, Ethan Nordean, and Dominic Pezzola. They are seeking unspecified compensatory damages with a 6% interest rate, and punitive damages amounting to $100 million, excluding additional interest.
During a news conference on Friday, Tarrio emphasized the significance of the legal action, stating, “There were hostages in this country. It’s not about any other country today, and that’s why this lawsuit is so crucial to restoring law and order in our system.”
The lawsuit alleges that the group was apprehended without proper probable cause, and also accuses government officials of subsequently manufacturing incriminating evidence. Additionally, they contend that they endured years of pretrial detention in harsh conditions, including solitary confinement.
According to the filed lawsuit, “The Plaintiffs themselves did not obstruct the proceedings at the Capitol, destroy government property, resist arrest, conspire to impede the police, or participate in civil disorder, nor did they plan for or order anyone else to do so.” Despite these claims, Tarrio, Biggs, Rehl, and Nordean were found guilty of seditious conspiracy among other charges in connection with the Capitol riot that aimed to disrupt the certification of Joe Biden’s electoral victory over Donald Trump in the 2020 presidential election. In contrast, Pezzola was found not guilty on the conspiracy charge but was convicted for stealing a riot shield from a police officer, which he used to break a window.
After resuming office earlier this year, former President Donald Trump issued pardons to nearly all of the more than 1,500 individuals involved in the Capitol assault. While Tarrio was granted a pardon, the sentences for the other four plaintiffs were commuted. All four individuals submitted pardon applications on May 13, according to the lawsuit.
The U.S. Justice Department has not yet provided a response to requests for comments on the matter.