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Pro-Trump march: Who are ‘Proud Boys’ and ‘Three Percenters’?
Proud Boys recently grabbed headlines after Trump urged them to “stand back and stand by” during the first presidential debate against his Democratic rival.
Thousands of supporters of US President Donald Trump rallied in Washington DC on Saturday to back his unsubstantiated claims of electoral fraud in the general election. They gathered in the capital city to protest against the results that have projected Joe Biden as the 46th President of the United States. The pro-Trump groups at the DC rally include far-right groups like the Proud Boys and the Three Percenters.
Proud Boys recently grabbed headlines after Trump urged them to “stand back and stand by” during the first presidential debate against his Democratic rival. Trump was reluctant to denounce white supremacist and far-right militia groups and tried to bring attention to Antifa, a far-left group.
When Biden suggested Trump to denounce Proud Boys, the US President said, “Proud Boys - stand back and stand by. But I’ll tell you what… Somebody’s got to do something about Antifa and the left because this is not a right-wing problem.”
Who are Proud Boys?
The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) has classified Proud Boys as an ‘extremist group’ and, according to the Southern Poverty Law Centre, the group is known for its “anti-Muslim and misogynistic rhetoric”. The all-male group was founded by Canadian-British right-wing activist Gavin McInnes in 2016.
To become a part of Proud Boys, a person must declare himself as “a Western chauvinist who refuses to apologise for creating the modern world”. Social media platforms like Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter have banned the group which has a history of street violence against left-wing rivals.
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Three Percenters
Another group that marched in Washington DC to protest against the election results was Three Percenters. According to the Anti-Defamation League (ADL), an international Jewish non-governmental organization, Three Percenters are part of the militia movement, which “supports the idea of a small number of dedicated ‘patriots’ protecting Americans from government tyranny.”
The name ‘Three Percenters’ refers to an erroneous belief that only three per cent of Americans fought in the Revolutionary War against the British. The group advocates gun ownership rights and resist the federal government’s involvement in local affairs. They have a history of criminal activity ranging from weapons violations to terrorist plots and attacks, says ADL.
