Far-Right organizers like Joey Gibson, who had built pan-far-Right coalitions that included neo-Nazis, white nationalists, militias groups, and the Proud Boys, lamented this reality, and pushed for a new street fighting coalition that could fight the Left in the streets.

By mid-2020, the far-Right had found a new sea to swim in, as the Qanon conspiracy theory grew exponentially and new far-Right currents like the Boogaloo boys exploded in a post-COVID world as far-Right rallies were organized in the face of anti-pandemic lockdowns.

Within this new coalition of Qanon conspiracy theorists, MAGA supporters, militia groups, Boogaloo Boys, and neo-Alt-Right currents like the Groypers, the Proud Boys emerged in a leading role. Both within the far-Right + within Trumpian layers of the GOP. https://twitter.com/tripgabriel/status/1141158817817927681?s=20

But before we can understand the threat that the Proud Boys represent: a force which unites fascist street fighting and paramilitary groups on the street with the Trumpian State desperate to hold onto power at any cost - we have to understand the ideology of the group itself.

The Proud Boys were formed by millionaire and VICE co-founder, Gavin McInnes. Long known for his reactionary and racist politics, McInnes also penned essays for white nationalist publications like the American Renaissance, arguing that different races should not live together.

McInnes argued that, "I love being white and I think it’s something to be very proud of. I don’t want our culture diluted. We need to close the borders now and let everyone assimilate to a Western, white, English-speaking way of life."

Announcing the creation of the Proud Boys in 2016 in the pages of the far-Right, paleoconservative publication Taki's Magazine, a job that was given to McIness by white nationalist Richard Spencer, the editor at the time, McIness began to conceptualize the Proud Boys as a gang.

Creating a clear group hierarchy and leadership, McIness formulated how prospective Proud Boys could rise up through the ranks of the group by proving their loyalty to the organization; getting tattoos, and ultimately engaging in violence or being arrested.

The group also embraced the writings of paleconservative Pat Buchanan, well known for mainstreaming white nationalist ideas and his relationships with white nationalist ideologues like Sam Francis. His book 'Death of the West' became required reading for the Proud Boys.

Like the Proud Boys, while Buchanan embraced racial politics, he was also willing to work with non-whites to further his cause. In 2000, he picked arch-conservative Ezola Foster as his running mate for President, angering many hardcore white nationalists.

While Proud Boys founders understood that "Western" was merely code-word for "white," by building a brand around "Western chauvinism" and more broadly, around Trump, it gave non-whites a possibly entry point - but more over- plausible deniability to accusations of racism.

Proud Boy recruits of color and potential LGBT members were even told that by joining they agreed to leave criticisms of structural racism and oppression at the door. Coupled with the foundational understanding of McIness that the US was supposed to be a majority white country...

...this shows that while the Proud Boys allowed in and tokenized members of color, they did so only insofar that they embraced a wider ideology that centered around the need for a white patriarchal cultural and political hegemonic order.

It's this reality that on one hand, has allowed Proud Boys of color to embrace racist, reactionary, and far-Right politics, while on the other, allowed the group to form alliances with white nationalists and neo-Nazis, who also have found a home within the rank-n-file.

While on the other, has allowed the Proud Boys to build real relationships with members of the Republican party, even to the point of doing security at Trump rallies in the lead up to the 2020 election. https://weartv.com/news/local/proud-boys-provide-security-at-pro-america-rally-in-milton

And for years, we've seen what the Proud Boys can do in larger coalitions. Unite the Right in Charlottesville was organized by a Proud Boy, Jason Kessler, and members of the Proud Boys attended the event. Augustus Invictus, a Proud Boy leader, was scheduled to speak.

Enrique Tarrio, the current leader of the Proud Boys, also attended Unite the Right, sporting a Fraternal Order of Alt-Knights patch, the "military wing" of the Proud Boys. Here's FOAK announcing they were going to attend the white nationalist rally and Enrique in Cville.

Here's New York Proud Boy Sal Cipolla taking a photo with former KKK leader David Duke at Unite the Right. "Proud Of Your Boy" indeed. Also pictured with Gavin.