Proud Boys lose trademark rights after court ruling

Black church wins legal battle, restricting the Proud Boys from using their name and symbols.

A Proud Boys member stands nearby as former leader Enrique Tarrio speaks at a press conference at The Las Vegas Cuban Cuisine restaurant in Doral, Florida, on January 24, 2025. Photo by Joe Raedle/Getty Images

By Nada Fadiyah and Adila Ghina

The Proud Boys have lost control over their own name.

In a landmark ruling on Monday, Judge Tanya M. Jones Bosier of the Superior Court of the District of Columbia stripped the far-right group of its trademark rights, barring them from using the name “Proud Boys” or any associated symbols without permission from the Metropolitan African Methodist Episcopal Church. The decision follows a $2.8 million default judgment awarded to the church in June 2023, after former Proud Boys leader Enrique Tarrio and several members vandalized its property following a pro-Trump rally in December 2020.

This ruling effectively prevents Proud Boys chapters across the U.S. from legally using their name or selling merchandise featuring their traditional black and yellow laurel wreath logo. It also opens the door for the church to seize any profits the group may earn from such sales.

Court ruling strips Proud Boys of their brand

The legal battle stems from a violent night in December 2020 when Proud Boys members tore down and burned a Black Lives Matter banner displayed outside the church, located just blocks from the White House. The church filed a lawsuit, labeling the attack an act of terror meant to intimidate and silence its support for racial justice. The court sided with the church, condemning the Proud Boys’ actions as “hateful and overtly racist.”

With the group failing to pay the $2.8 million judgment, church attorneys sought to seize control of the Proud Boys’ trademark, preventing them from profiting off their name and symbols. Judge Bosier’s decision granted that request, delivering a significant blow to the organization’s ability to operate under its well-known branding.

Tarrio, who was recently pardoned by former President Donald Trump, reacted angrily to the ruling. In a statement, he called for the church’s nonprofit status to be revoked and demanded the judge’s impeachment. “Their actions are a betrayal of justice,” he wrote, dismissing the court’s decision as illegitimate.

A ruling with major consequences

This ruling marks a rare instance in which a group’s trademark rights have been seized due to legal consequences. The decision means that any Proud Boys-affiliated groups or individuals looking to use the name or sell merchandise with their symbols must now obtain permission from the church they once targeted.

The case also highlights the broader financial and legal troubles facing the Proud Boys in the wake of the January 6 Capitol attack. The church’s lawsuit was one of several legal actions against the group, which has been under intense scrutiny for its role in the insurrection.

Proud Boys’ downfall after January 6

The loss of their trademark comes as the Proud Boys continue to reel from their involvement in the January 6 attack. Tarrio had been serving a 22-year prison sentence for seditious conspiracy before being pardoned by Trump. His four co-defendants, who were also convicted in connection to the Capitol riot, had their sentences commuted.

The December 2020 church vandalism played a pivotal role in the events of January 6. Tarrio was arrested for vandalism just days before the insurrection, leading to his banishment from Washington, D.C. This left his subordinates in charge as they stormed the Capitol without him.

The same night the banner was burned, Proud Boys leader Jeremy Bertino was stabbed in a street fight with leftist counterprotesters. That incident contributed to growing tensions between the group and law enforcement, despite their previous close ties with police.

Bertino later became a key government witness, testifying against Tarrio and other Proud Boys leaders in court. His testimony helped secure the convictions that ultimately led to the long prison sentences before Trump’s clemency order reversed them.

The future of the Proud Boys’ brand

With their trademark now in the hands of a church they once attacked, the Proud Boys face an uncertain future. The ruling not only weakens their organizational structure but also cuts off a potential revenue stream from selling branded merchandise.

For the Metropolitan African Methodist Episcopal Church, the decision represents a significant legal victory and a step toward justice for the attack they endured. The church now holds the power to decide if and how the Proud Boys’ name can be used, a symbolic reversal of power that underscores the consequences of the group’s past actions.

As the far-right group navigates this latest setback, it remains to be seen whether they will attempt to rebrand or continue operating under a name they no longer legally control. Either way, the ruling stands as a major blow to the Proud Boys and a warning to extremist groups facing legal repercussions for their actions.

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