Canada declares Proud Boys a terrorist group

OTTAWA, Ontario — Canada designated the Proud Boys a terrorist organization under its criminal law Wednesday, a move that could lead to financial seizures and allow police to treat any crimes the group commits as terrorism.

Government officials said they believe Canada is the first nation to label the Proud Boys a terrorist entity. They added that the events last month in Washington contributed to the move, but it already was under consideration.

While the Capitol riot was a “contributing factor, it certainly wasn’t the driving force,” one official said.

“Since 2018, we have seen an escalation, an escalation toward violence in this group,” Public Safety Minister Bill Blair told a news conference, adding that the Proud Boys and 12 other groups added to the list Wednesday are “all hateful, intolerant and, as we’ve seen, they can be highly dangerous.”

Members of the Proud Boys, a far-right, all-male organization that made street brawling part of its founding idea, played a prominent role in storming the Capitol.

U.S. federal prosecutors investigating the violence announced their first conspiracy charges against the Proud Boys last week, accusing two members of coordinating their effort to interfere with law enforcement officers protecting Congress during the final certification of the presidential election.

Since the attack, Jagmeet Singh, leader of the opposition New Democratic Party in Canada, has pushed Prime Minister Justin Trudeau to declare the Proud Boys a terror group. Officials said the listing was made independently of the politicians.

Also added to the government’s terrorism list were three other farright or neo-Nazi organizations, and nine groups affiliated with the Islamic State group and al-Qaida.

Any crimes committed by members of these groups now can be the subject of terrorism charges under criminal law, an official said.

Those potential crimes include providing a terrorist group with funds or other assistance — such as buying Proud Boys paraphernalia or clothing from the group, although displaying or wearing them publicly breaks no laws.

Recruitment, travel and training related to the group also now can lead to criminal charges. Authorities also have more power to remove the Proud Boys’ online posts, add its members to the nofly list, or deny entry at the border to group members who aren’t Canadian.

Blair added that the designation will “severely restrict” the group’s ability to use online crowdfunding in Canada or any other fundraising method.