The leader of the Proud Boys right-wing group has been arrested in Washington DC for allegedly burning the Black Lives Matter flag last month.
Enrique Tarrio is facing criminal charges in connection with destruction to property cases, police said.
‘Most Notorious Group’
He has reportedly admitted torching a banner taken from a black church during a rally in December in the city.
President Donald Trump has been urging his supporters to gather in the capital this week for another show.
On Wednesday, members of Congress are expected to confirm the election victory of Democratic party President Joe Biden before taking office on January 20.
Mr Tarrio has said on the social media app Parler that the Proud Boys will “turn out in record numbers on Jan 6th”, referring to his members as “the most notorious group of extraordinary gentlemen”.
Enrique’s Posessions
The National Guard has been deployed by Washington DC’s mayor to assist local authorities. Officials say the troops will not be armed and will be there to assist with crowd management and traffic control.
Metropolitan Police Department spokesman Dustin Sternbeck told the Washington Post on Monday that Mr Tarrio had been stopped in a car shortly after entering the region.
The 36-year-old man was also found in custody with two illegal weapons that allowed firearms to seize more ammunition, a source told CBS News.
The vandalism is related to a protest in Washington DC on December 12 in support of the Republican President’s alleged illegal voter and election fraud.
The mostly peaceful demonstration ended in isolated scuffles as confrontations with counter-protesters broke out. Police said more than three dozen people were arrested and four churches were vandalised.
Mr Tarrio – who lives in Miami, where he reportedly also runs a grassroots organization called Latinos for Trump – told the Washington Post at the time that he had burned the Black Lives Matter flag.
‘I Did It’
“Let’s make this simple,” he said. “I did it.”
But he said he was unaware that Asbury United Methodist Church, where the flag was reported to be flying, was frequently visited by African American worshipers.
Mr Tarrio also claimed that Proud Boy members had their flags and hats stolen during previous protests and no one had been arrested for the alleged incidents.
Earlier on Monday, another black church that was destroyed during the December protests sued Mr Tarrio and the Proud Boys.
The Metropolitan African Methodist Episcopal Church accuses the group of climbing the fence and demolishing the Black Lives Matter sign.
Kristen Clarke, head of the Lawyers’ Committee for Civil Rights Under Law, said in a statement: “Black churches and other religious institutions have a long and vicious history of white supremacist attacks and threats aimed at intimidation and creation of fear.
“Our case is intended to hold accountable those responsible for the act.
The city’s police department said last month it had been considering a potential hate crime charge over the incident.
