Canada: government declares Proud Boys terrorist group

---

The Canadian government has classified the so-called Proud Boys as a terrorist group, underlining the important role they played in organizing and carrying out the attack on the US Congress last January 6. Canada is the first country in the world to officially define them in this way.

The Proud Boys have existed since 2016, when they were founded by Gavin McInnes, a Canadian author and commentator who was one of the founders of Vice Media and who over the years has tried to deny the group's affiliation with neo-Nazism. In reality it is one of the most active movements of the so-called alt right, the new American extreme right that for several years has been carrying out racist and misogynist ideas by appealing to freedom of expression.

The Proud Boys, among other things, support the superiority of Western civilization, are Islamophobes, encourage the use of violence in the political struggle, and have a vision of gender relations similar to that of the incels, the online movement of misogynistic males. On several occasions in recent years, members of the group have threatened, beaten or stabbed protesters and progressive politicians or so-called antifa movements .

The Canadian government defines the Proud Boys as a neo-fascist organization with semi-autonomous cells operating in the United States, Canada, and internationally. A government official said their role in the January 6 attack significantly contributed to their classification as terrorists.

The classification has some concrete consequences: the members of the group will not be indicted only for being part of it, but if they commit violence they can be accused of terrorist acts (membership will therefore be considered an aggravating circumstance). The classification also means that sending money to the organization and buying the group's merchandise will be a criminal offense.

Public Security Minister Bill Blair commented on the decision saying that Canada will not tolerate ideologically, religiously or politically motivated acts of violence.