He was nicknamed the head of the “Ministry of Self-Defence”. Ethan Nordin, former leader of the American far-right group Proud Boys, was sentenced on Friday the 1st.uh September to eighteen years in prison for participating in the January 2021 Capitol attack.
This prison term is in line with that of Stuart Rhodes, founder of the far-right Oath Keepers militia, which was the longest sentence for this attack. A 32-year-old man was found guilty of conspiracy against US institutions. Another member of the Proud Boys, 45-year-old Dominic Pezzola, was sentenced to ten years in prison.
According to Washington District Attorney Matthew Graves, the two men “conspired to prevent, hinder and delay” confirmation of Democrat Joe Biden’s victory over incumbent President Donald Trump. On January 6, 2021, thousands of Republican supporters gathered in the federal capital to denounce the results of the 2020 election. The crowd stormed the Capitol, the seat of the US Congress, causing worldwide shock.
Ready to “use violence if necessary”
According to Matthew Graves, Ethan Nordin chose Dominic Pezzola and other gunmen to take part in the attack on the Capitol. The leaders of the “Proud Boys” recruited people who would carry out their orders, and were “ready to resort to violence if necessary”the prosecutor said. On the day of the attack “Ethan Nordin, Dominic Pezzola and those they led were involved in every one of the major violations on Capitol Hill”he added. Dominic Pezzola was found guilty of breaking a window in the Capitol. “allow the first rioters to enter the building”.
Before sentencing, both men expressed remorse, with Ethan Nordin blaming his own leaders. But on Friday, minutes after Dominic Pezzola sealed his fate, he raised his fist and shouted: “Trump won”according to the people in the room.
On Thursday, two other Proud Boys leaders were sentenced to seventeen and fifteen years in prison for their part in the attack. Since January 6, 2021, more than 1,100 people have been arrested and charged. More than half were sentenced, mostly to prison terms.