In a ruling that has historical significance, a Washington D.C. judge has ordered the Proud Boys, a white supremacist group, to pay more than $1 million in damages for vandalizing a predominantly Black church.
The vandalism took place in December 2020, just days after then-President Donald Trump lost his re-election bid. Members of the Proud Boys burned a Black Lives Matter sign and tore down a banner at Metropolitan AME Church, one of the oldest Black churches in the U.S. The church sued the Proud Boys for the damages, and last week, Judge Neal Kravitz approved a default judgment against them after four of the named defendants failed to show up in court.
Judge Kravitz called the vandalism a hateful and overtly racist attack and ordered the four defendants and the group’s LLC to pay the church just over $1 million.
The ruling is a significant victory for the church and the Black community as it sends a message that hate crimes will not be tolerated. It’s also a reminder of the long history of white supremacy in the U.S. and the need to continue to fight for racial justice.
Click play to listen to the report from AURN White House Correspondent Ebony McMorris. For more news, follow @E_N_McMorris & @aurnonline.
