Proud Boys leader says members fight and then lick each other’s faces at their ‘magical’ events

Proud Boys leader Henry "Enrique" Tarrio thinks that he is a martyr in an ongoing crusade for extremist groups to use the First Amendment to harass and intimidate others. Now, however, he's headed to jail after stealing a Black Lives Matter banner from a historically Black Church and possessing two high-capacity magazines in Washington, D.C.

Vice News did an interview with Tarrio ahead of his prison sentence revealing that he plans to read the book "Secret Societies and Psychological Warfare" saying that he likes the insights into political movements. He's also going to work on his own book, "American Warlord," which he said he'll sell on a Proud Boys market site.

"I have no intention of leaving the organization at all," Tarrio said. In the past, he has made comments that he would step down, focusing instead on local politics.

"I won't be able to fulfill my duties," said Tarrio, "but I think the guys have it well taken care of."

Vice explained that his time away from the extremist movement comes at a difficult point after infighting over his role working as a "prolific" federal informant

He said that he's still trying to decide whether he wants to run for reelection to stay at the top of the group. He will still be the leader of the Miami Proud Boys, despite infighting that resulted in an uprising against him.

"From the beginning, there have always been two types of Proud Boys. And we, internally, we just call them the rally boys and the party boys—so like, the activists, and then just the guys that want to hang out and have a beer," said Tarrio. "We've had our bad apples."

"At our national event, every year, we put a boxing ring together, or I rent an octagon, the guys put gloves on, and they just f*cking go ham on each other," he recalled. Sometimes "they don't even want to fight. They get drunk, they slap each others asses, they kiss each other on the f*cking cheek, lick each other in the f*cking face, you know? And I'm like, you guys were just f*cking calling each other the most stupidest thing just a month ago." He called the moments "magical."

Since the attack on the U.S. Capitol Jan. 6, the group has been working on local efforts like serving as "security" for a right-wing pastor outside of an Oregon Planned Parenthood. They're also behind many mask-mandate protests and organizing anti-Cuba protests in Miami.

Before turning himself in, he stopped by the U.S. Capitol to call for freedom of his Proud Boys allies who are behind bars pending trial. He held up a lighter to the building and then flashed the "V" pose Nixon did throwing peace signs when he left the White House in disgrace.

Read the full report at Vice.