Watch: Militia leader Stewart Rhodes leaves prison after Trump issues 6 January pardons
Former Proud Boys leader Henry “Enrique” Tarrio and Oath Keepers founder Stewart Rhodes have been released from prison, as President Donald Trump sets free more than 1,500 people charged for the US Capitol riot four years ago.
Within less than 24 hours of Trump pardoning or commuting sentences of those who tried to violently overturn the 2020 election, the riot’s two most prominent leaders left prison. Trump is also dismissing charges against those charged, but not yet tried, for the riot.
“My son, Enrique Tarrio, has been released officially as of now!” Zuny Tarrio posted on X.
Rhodes, who was not pardoned but had his sentence commuted, is waiting at the jail for defendants to be freed.
Rhodes, a former US Army paratrooper and Yale-educated lawyer, had been charged for leading a contingent of his Oath Keepers members to Washington.
Though Rhodes did not enter the Capitol, he directed his members from outside, and was sentenced in 2023 to 18 years in federal prison.
Tarrio was found guilty of seditious conspiracy – a rarely used charge of planning to overthrow the government – over the riot. He was not in Washington DC during the riots but directed others involved.
He received a sentence of 22 years, one of the longest given.
Amid the pardons and commutations, Trump also signed an order directing the Department of Justice to drop all pending cases against suspects accused in the riot.
Many of those people have been in jail in Washington DC for more than a year, with Trump often referring to them during his campaign as “hostages” as they awaited trial.
A leading advocate for those defendants – Edward R Martin – has also been made the acting US Attorney for Washington DC, showing the depth of Trump’s desire to quickly end the prosecutions. The Washington office was in charge of trying the cases connected to 6 January 2021.
But for some families of those inmates, the release process was proving frustrating on Tuesday.
Standing outside the DC central jail, Ben Pollock, whose children Jonathan and Olivia were locked inside, said he had spoken to his son and learned they might be moved to another facility.
“We have no idea what’s happening,” he said. “Why haven’t they been released?”
Democrats have condemned the release of more than 1,000 people as an attempt to rewrite history and sanitise the violence of the riot.
About 140 police officers were injured on 6 January, and Ashli Babbitt, an unarmed pro-Trump protester, was shot dead by a Capitol Police officer. Three others who were on Capitol grounds died from natural causes, including a police officer who confronted rioters and died the next day. Another protester died of an overdose, according to authorities.
Trump has described the day as “peaceful”.
Clarification, 21 January: This story has been updated to remove a description of the riot as having led to multiple deaths and to add more context around the violence and aftermath.
Capitol riot leaders Enrique Tarrio and Stewart Rhodes have been released from prison following a judge’s ruling. The two men were arrested in connection with the January 6th attack on the Capitol, which left five people dead and dozens injured.
Tarrio, the leader of the far-right group Proud Boys, and Rhodes, the founder of the Oath Keepers militia, were charged with conspiracy, obstruction of an official proceeding, and other offenses related to their alleged roles in inciting and organizing the violent insurrection.
Despite the seriousness of the charges, the judge granted bail for both men, citing concerns about their health and the need to protect their rights to a fair trial. Supporters of Tarrio and Rhodes have hailed their release as a victory for free speech and due process.
However, critics have raised concerns about the potential for the two men to incite further violence and unrest. The Capitol riot was a dark day in American history, and many fear that the release of its leaders could embolden others to commit similar acts in the future.
As the legal process continues to unfold, the nation watches closely to see how justice will be served in the aftermath of the Capitol riot.
Tags:
Capitol riot, Tarrio, Rhodes, released from prison, extremist leaders, domestic terrorism, January 6th insurrection, far-right groups, political violence, legal implications, extremist organizations, federal charges, protest leaders, prison release, controversial figures
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