Highlights: Four members of the far-right militia Proud Boys have been convicted of sedition. The charge is a very rare charge punishable by 20 years in prison. The former leader of the Proud Boys, Enrique Tario, remained unmoved at the verdict. The Minister of Justice immediately welcomed these convictions, while a special prosecutor is still investigating Donald Trump's role in storming the Capitol. "Sedition is about wanting to bring down the U.S. government. It's rare and it's serious," says Steven Ekovich.

In the United States, four members of the far-right militia Proud Boys, including their former leader, have been convicted of sedition, a very rare charge punishable by 20 years in prison, for their...

Capitol storming in US: Four far-right activists sentenced for sedition

Member of the far-right militia Proud Boys, here in 2020. AP - John Locher

Text by: RFI Follow

3 min

In the United States, four members of the far-right Proud Boys militia, including their former leader, have been convicted of sedition, a very rare charge punishable by 20 years in prison, for their role in the storming of the Washington Capitol on January 6, 2021.

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With our correspondent in Miami, David Thomson

It was one of the most iconic January 6 trials against one of America's most notorious Trumpist militias. At the time of the verdict, the former leader of the Proud Boys, Enrique Tario, remained unmoved. He was not present on the day of the attack on the Capitol, he had been arrested in another case, but the day before in an underground parking lot in Washington, he had met with the leader of another far-right militia, the Oath Keepers, to prepare the demonstration.

It was this meeting that led to their conviction for sedition, an extremely rare charge used against Confederate rebels during the Civil War.

"Our work will continue"

In addition to Enrique Tario, four other members of the Proud Boys were convicted. They were on the front lines during the invasion of the temple of American democracy. One of them appears in one of the most viral and violent videos on January 6, blowing up a window of the building with a police shield.

Four of the five defendants are also convicted of conspiracy to prevent the certification of elections; They face up to fifty years in prison.

The Minister of Justice immediately welcomed these convictions. "We will do everything in our power," Garland said, "to defend democracy, and our work will continue," while a special prosecutor is still investigating Donald Trump's role in storming the Capitol.

► Decryption

The accusation of sedition is very serious, says Steven Ekovich, professor at the American University of Paris, at the microphone of Christophe Paget of RFI's international service. "Sedition is about wanting to bring down the U.S. government. It's rare and it's serious. " For justice to reach such a verdict, a concrete case was needed. "... The Department of Justice was very careful, they had the necessary evidence, because there is obviously a political coloration, so it has to be really concrete to show that this is not a political response, that it is really criminal. For the average American, the true patriot who wants to protect the integrity of the American government and state, this is good news, and it can only strengthen Joe Biden's authority and rating. »

But, according to the researcher, it complicates things for Donald Trump, "because they were still the ones who felt that they were acting on the president's orders. I already see the political ads attacking Donald Trump, which will set aside the confessions of these people and some nonsensical remarks by Donald Trump, which also touch on the issue of sedition. It's a gold mine for political strategists."

Capitol storming in US: Four far-right activists sentenced for sedition

Capitol storming in US: Four far-right activists sentenced for sedition

"Our work will continue"

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