Five years ago, members of the Proud Boys came to Metropolitan African Methodist Episcopal Church and they destroyed a Black Lives Matter sign.
Now, the church is selling t-shirts and other merchandise that’s centered around the Proud Boys but their messaging is completely different.
“To take from those who would make the world worse for those of us that love liberty, and to make with those resources something better, and in this moment, this is exactly what I feel we need to be doing,” said Rev. William Lamar IV
Lamar described the messaging behind the rollout of these shirts, with some reading, “Stay Proud, Black Lives Matter” and “Stay Black, Black Lives Matter.”
“They will see the appropriation of the Proud Boys logo that now stands for in our interpretation being proud to be Black and being proud to stand with Black people who resist,” Lamar said. “So white brothers and sisters, Black brothers and sisters, Latinx brothers and sisters, Asian brothers and sisters, if you believe in a world where all of us are welcomed and flourished, then this is the type of merchandise we hope you wear proudly.”
Back in 2020 after a pro-Donald Trump rally, Proud Boys members tore down and burned Black Lives Matter banners at the church along with another place of worship.
Following those actions, church leaders filed a lawsuit seeking damages from the vandalism. A judge awarded the historic church $2.9 million in damages, but the Proud Boys defaulted on the multi-million dollar judgement, which then led to AME Church taking control of the Proud Boys trademark earlier this year.
“They would’ve used it to continue white supremacy, authoritarianism, fascism,” Lamar said. “We’re using it to build our ministry of liberation and justice.”
Former leader of the Proud Boys Enrique Tarrio later confessed to taking part in the burnings and was sentenced to more than five months in jail on those other charges. He was also sentenced for orchestrating the Jan. 6 riot.
Lamar said these shirts are the first step and plan to roll out even more inclusive shirts to reflect the community. Proceeds from the sales of the merchandise will go to the church's community justice fund.
“We are clear that the founders of the Proud Boys never intended to lift up Juneteenth and never intended to lift up the LGBTQIA+ community,” Lamar said. “That’s what we are doing because the god that we serve lifts up these communities and we say that we are open, welcome to all, and we have to keep fighting.”
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