Judge awards D.C. Black church $1 million after Black Lives Matter banner burned by Proud Boys

WASHINGTON — A choose on Friday awarded greater than $1 million to a Black church in downtown Washington, D.C. that sued the far-right Proud Boys for tearing down and burning a Black Lives Matter banner throughout a 2020 protest.

Superior Court Associated Judge Neal A. Kravitz additionally barred the extremist group and its leaders from coming close to the Metropolitan African Methodist Episcopal Church or making threats or defamatory remarks towards the church or its pastor for 5 years.

The ruling was a default judgment issued after the defendants failed to point out up in courtroom to struggle the case.

Two Black Lives Matter banners had been pulled down from Metropolitan AME and one other traditionally Black church and burned throughout clashes between pro-Donald Trump supporters and counterdemonstrators in December 2020.

The destruction passed off after weekend rallies by 1000’s of individuals in assist of Trump’s baseless claims that he gained a second time period, which led to dozens of arrests, a number of stabbings and accidents to cops.

Metropolitan AME sued the Proud Boys and their leaders, alleging they violated D.C. and federal legislation by trespassing and destroying spiritual property in a bias-related conspiracy.

Proud Boys chief Henry “Enrique” Tarrio, of Miami, publicly acknowledged setting fireplace to at least one banner, which prosecutors mentioned was stolen from Asbury United Methodist Church.

In July 2021, Tarrio pleaded responsible to 2 misdemeanor felony costs of property destruction and tried possession of a high-capacity journal.