Enrique Tarrio, erstwhile leader of the alt-right, so-called "western chauvinist" organization The Proud Boys, was arrested Tuesday for new conspiracy charges pertaining to his involvement in the planning and execution of the January 6 coup attempt at the Capitol.
And in a stunning reversal of his usual defiant confidence, this time Tarrio was arrested by law enforcement in a most embarrassing manner: wearing nothing but his skivvies.
The arrest occurred in the wee hours at Tarrio's home in Florida. Video of the moment showed him apparently taken by surprise, exiting his house in a daze in only his underwear and quickly submitting to law enforcement.
See the video below.
Proud Boys leader Enrique Tarrio arrested this morning in his underwear in Miami for conspiracy in connection with the J6 insurrection. From NBC6.pic.twitter.com/NDX6wNoO0T— Ron Filipkowski (@Ron Filipkowski) 1646768060
Tarrio was the leader of the Proud Boys until last year, having taken over in 2018 after the group's organizer, Vice Media founder Gavin McInnes, stepped back following the FBI classifying it as an extremist White nationalist group.
Tarrio did not attend the insurrection himself, having been arrested two days prior for vandalizing a Black Lives Matter banner at a Black church in D.C. during a violent pro-Trump rally in December 2020.
But prosecutors found via text messages and group chats on social media app Telegram that Tarrio "led the advance planning and remained in contact with other members of the Proud Boys" during the riot, issuing directives to members about the event.
Most incriminating was a nine-page document Tarrio received December 30, 2020 titled "1776 Returns," which the Justice Department's indictment says “set forth a plan to occupy a few ‘crucial buildings’ in Washington on Jan. 6" and specifically mentioned seizing control of House and Senate facilities at the Capitol.
Following his arrest, Tarrio took to Twitter to threaten former Republican President Donald Trump, saying he "AINT TAKING THE FALL FOR THE BIG GUY (FATSOTRUMP)."
He also tweeted a screenshot of his underwear-clad arrest with a self-deprecating caption.
In his drawers\n\n\nWHO'S DOING THAT CAVITY SEARCH???????????pic.twitter.com/xcoYxomHt5— Enrique Tarrio\ud83c\uddfa\ud83c\uddf8 (@Enrique Tarrio\ud83c\uddfa\ud83c\uddf8) 1646789577
But most others on Twitter weren't laughing--or if they were, they were laughing at him, not with him.
Like my other always told me, \u201cAlways change your underwear because you never know when the FBI is going to come to your house and arrest you for seditious conspiracy.\u201d— Telah \ud83c\uddfa\ud83c\uddf8 (@Telah \ud83c\uddfa\ud83c\uddf8) 1646768317
Enrique Tarrio was arrested in his underwear. He had no idea the feds were coming for him. His lawyers didn\u2019t know either, or they would\u2019ve told him. \n\nDOJ\u2019s January 6 investigation is in super stealth mode. The normal signs of a major investigation are absent.— Tristan Snell (@Tristan Snell) 1646792754
He seems to be getting really proficient at being arrested.https://twitter.com/RonFilipkowski/status/1501280172150079489\u00a0\u2026— \ud83c\uddfa\ud83c\udde6\ud83e\udd1d\ud83c\uddfa\ud83c\uddf8 Monty Boa \ud83c\uddfa\ud83c\uddf8\ud83e\udd1d\ud83c\uddfa\ud83c\udde6 (@\ud83c\uddfa\ud83c\udde6\ud83e\udd1d\ud83c\uddfa\ud83c\uddf8 Monty Boa \ud83c\uddfa\ud83c\uddf8\ud83e\udd1d\ud83c\uddfa\ud83c\udde6) 1646775246
Remember Enrique Tarrio was at the White House a few days before January 6? He was finally arrested today.pic.twitter.com/siKBiAbRlD— marla singer (@marla singer) 1646798118
Wouldn't it be nice if this happened to Trump eventually?— Richard Signorelli (@Richard Signorelli) 1646768727
Wanna see the Proud Boys loser leader Enrique Tarrio being arrested in his underwear after being indicted for conspiracy in January 6th insurrection\nhttps://www.nbcmiami.com/news/local/ex-proud-boys-leader-enrique-tarrio-arrested-in-miami-in-connection-with-capitol-riot/2708518/\u00a0\u2026pic.twitter.com/zPRuIJUE4a— Wu-Tang Is For The Children (@Wu-Tang Is For The Children) 1646776929
The Proud Boys is a far-right, neo-fascist, organization that promotes and engages in political violence in the US. Here's their leader enrique tarrio being arrested this AM and later indicted. He's 38 and still lives with his parents. At least hitler had a bunker.pic.twitter.com/uLgaWBwV5l— \ud835\ude3f\ud835\ude56\ud835\ude6b\ud835\ude5e\ud835\ude59 \ud835\ude4b\ud835\ude5e\ud835\ude5a\ud835\ude67\ud835\ude58\ud835\ude5a \ud83c\uddfa\ud83c\uddf8\ud83c\uddfa\ud83c\udde6 (@\ud835\ude3f\ud835\ude56\ud835\ude6b\ud835\ude5e\ud835\ude59 \ud835\ude4b\ud835\ude5e\ud835\ude5a\ud835\ude67\ud835\ude58\ud835\ude5a \ud83c\uddfa\ud83c\uddf8\ud83c\uddfa\ud83c\udde6) 1646779399
Well, at least they knew he wasn\u2019t packing heat.— \ud83c\uddfa\ud83c\udde6 \ud835\udc07\ud835\udc1a\ud835\udc27\ud835\udc2c\ud835\udc16 \ud83c\uddfa\ud83c\udde6\uea00 (@\ud83c\uddfa\ud83c\udde6 \ud835\udc07\ud835\udc1a\ud835\udc27\ud835\udc2c\ud835\udc16 \ud83c\uddfa\ud83c\udde6\uea00) 1646789712
Enrique Tarrio is going through some things today. \n\nLet\u2019s start putting these insurrectionists behind bars, and for longer than 12 months.pic.twitter.com/Vip4WCy9TY— Ryan Shead (@Ryan Shead) 1646778243
Roll that beautiful perp walk footage\u2026\n\nBalding, pot bellied and smirking, former Proud Boy leader Enrique Tarrio is taken away in handcuffs by federal agents early this morning in Miami on conspiracy charges for the Jan 6 insurrection. Who\u2019s next? #PYOBpic.twitter.com/9Bkd0YGPSM— Miami Against Fascism \ud83c\udf34\u2615\ufe0f (@Miami Against Fascism \ud83c\udf34\u2615\ufe0f) 1646773190
Remember, Proud Boys leader Enrique Tarrio was a prolific informant for local and federal law enforcement.\n\nHe will snitch, I mean, cooperate to make a deal.— Gabe Sanchez \uea00 (@Gabe Sanchez \uea00) 1646790254
Tarrio's indictment also focuses on five other members of The Proud Boys who participated in the attack. Given his past history as a "prolific" informant to law enforcement, many expect he will turn on his compatriots.
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