The fifth anniversary of the January 6 Capitol insurrection is set to be marked by a controversial march organised by the far-right Proud Boys group. The event, planned for midday, will retrace the steps taken by rioters from the White House to the Capitol building in 2021.
Organiser is a pardoned sedition convict
The march is being orchestrated by Enrique Tarrio, the former national chairman of the militant Proud Boys. Tarrio holds a deeply controversial status, having been sentenced to 22 years in prison for his role in seditious conspiracy related to the January 6 attack. However, he walked free last year after former President Donald Trump issued a sweeping pardon upon his return to the White House. Tarrio's charges were among more than 1,500 that were dropped as part of that clemency action.
Aims and assurances of a "peaceful" event
According to statements, the purpose of the march is to honour those who died during or after the siege of the Capitol, including Ashli Babbitt, the woman shot by police inside the building. In a bid to pre-empt concerns about violence, Tarrio has publicly called for a "PATRIOTIC and PEACEFUL" gathering. He has explicitly urged anyone intending to cause trouble or engage in unlawful activity to stay at home.
Fresh divisions on a potent anniversary
The planned demonstration threatens to inject fresh tension into a capital city that remains deeply divided over the legacy of January 6. The fifth anniversary of the attack, which aimed to overturn the 2020 election results, continues to be a flashpoint in American politics. The event underscores the ongoing influence of groups involved in the insurrection and the lasting political ramifications of the pardons issued by Trump.
The march is scheduled for Tuesday, January 6, 2026, precisely five years after the original attack that shocked the world and led to hundreds of prosecutions.
