TORONTO (AP) — The Canadian government has designated the Proud Boys group as a terrorist entity.
The government notes the Proud Boys played a “pivotal role in the insurrection at the U.S. Capitol on Jan. 6” and a senior official says that contributed to the designation.
The Proud Boys is a far-right, male chauvinist extremist group known for engaging in violent clashes at political rallies.
The group has faced increased scrutiny after seizing on the former Trump administration’s policies and was a major agitator during earlier protests and the Capitol riot on Jan. 6
The Proud Boys is one of 13 groups to get the new distinction in Canada, including three other “ideological motivated violent extremist groups – the Atomwaffen Division, the Base and the Russian Imperial Movement.
“Based on their actions, each group meets the legal threshold for listing as set out in the Criminal Code, which requires reasonable grounds to believe that an entity has knowingly participated in or facilitated a terrorist activity, or has knowingly acted on behalf of, at the direction of, or in association with such an entity,” wrote the government in a statement.
The nation’s government says it will continue to identify and target these types of entities as means to apply consequences on these groups and the individuals that support them.
“Violent acts of terrorism have no place in Canadian society or abroad,” wrote Bill Blair, Minister of Public Safety and Emergency Preparedness. “Today's additions to the Criminal Code list of terrorist entities are an important step in our effort to combat violent extremism in all forms. Canadians expect their Government to keep them safe and to keep pace with evolving threats and global trends, such as the growing threat of ideologically motivated violent extremism. The Government of Canada will continue to take appropriate actions to counter terrorist threats to Canada, its citizens and its interests around the world.”
