The tense wait for the imminent announcement of an indictment against Donald Trump coincides with another, more advanced legal process: the sedition leaders trial. Proud Boysthe violent far-right group that participated in the attack on the Capitol on January 6, 2021.
As the United States focuses its attention on the New York criminal court, proud radical extremists are eyeing their future from the dock of a federal court in Washington. Enrique Tarrio – the former leader of the group – and four of his lieutenants risk up to twenty years behind bars to assault, in Trump’s name, the seat of popular sovereignty of the world’s oldest and most stable democracy.
Trump, meanwhile, remains The most powerful figure in the Republican Party He is a candidate and favorite to run for the presidential elections next year. “It’s very difficult to blame Trump,” Tarrio’s attorney said in his opening statement. “It’s easier to blame Enrique as the face of the Proud Boys.”
This trial helps explain why the radical factions have reacted to “Trumpism,” for now, barely following the ex-president’s appeal last weekend. object, Take back your nationTrump urged his supporters.
Beyond the anecdotal presence of henchmen in or around the Manhattan courts Lake seaTrump’s residence in Florida, the mobilization requested by the former president did not happen. In some extremist forums on social networks, there has been talk of setting up a “national cordon” around the palace to prevent eventual arrest by security forces if Trump decides not to turn himself in.
The truth is that, amidst the usual signals that the United States is waging a “civil war” and that the country must be “taken back”, there was, above all, apathy and confusion in these social networks about the reaction required by the Republican leader. Some did not understand what exactly Trump was demanding of his supporters — he made no specific calls — amid a growing belief in these circles that The government will use any mobilization to suppress them and carry out arrests. But others have been highly critical of Trump.
One user of the Telegram group “Trump” wrote: “Why should I rally for someone who left January 6th protesters hanging?” “They betrayed the patriots on January 6,” said another.
Since the attack on the Capitol, he’s been there 1,000 members arrested From the violent mob, hundreds of convictions were imposed – and those that remained – and those affected spent a lot of money on lawyers. “Did he ask to go out and protest against these poor people? No, but he wants us to do it to arrest him,” that user added.
Even powerful extremist voices, deeply committed to Trump, did not react enthusiastically to the call. Ali AlexanderAn organizer of the Stop Stealing movement against the 2020 election result warned Trump supporters that if they protest in New York, they could end up in jail: “You have no freedom or rights there.”
“We have already become deeply involved in the fight against the government,” said Alex Jones, a conspiracy theorist kingpin from platforms such as InfoWars. We don’t have billionaires to pay our bills.. On the political scene, Republican leaders have had a similar stance: Almost all of them called the investigation against Trump a “politicized attack,” but none called for mobilization.
All of this could change as events progress. For example, with the image of Trump’s “march,” the revered leader handcuffed in a progressive enclave like New York. But whether this happens is up in the air. An announcement of the indictment was expected this weekBut that doesn’t seem like it will happen. The grand jury meeting that decides Trump’s impeachment trial scheduled for yesterday was suspended at the last minute, so speculation about the former president’s indictment has been postponed until at least next week.
