In a power struggle within the Proud Boys group, one of its members wants to rename it ‘Proud Goys’ and focus on an anti-Zionism and the fight for white power.
By Yakir Benzion, United With Israel
The Proud Boys group is apparently experiencing a power struggle, with one of its members demanding the group rename itself the “Proud Goys” and focus exclusively on anti-Zionism and the fight for white power, Newsweek reported Wednesday.
Kyle Chapman, nicknamed “Based Stickman” for beating an anti-Trump protester with a stick at a Trump rally in California in 2017, posted an encrypted message on the Telegram social messaging app saying the rebranded group would fight for white people to “have their own countries where White interests are written into law,” the report said.
Chapman claimed he was taking control of the Proud Boys away from current leader Enrique Tarrio so the group can focus on “White Genocide” and the “failures of multiculturalism.”
“Goy is a Jewish name for a non-Jewish person, and it’s sometimes used by white supremacists ironically to signal their acceptance of those conspiracy theories,” the Southern Poverty Law Center says on its website.
In his post, Chapman said that because Tarrio failed “to conduct himself with honor and courage on the battlefield, it has been decided that I Kyle Chapman reassume my post as President of Proud Boys effective immediately. Our logo will forthwith be changed to reflect the core beliefs of Proud Boy members.”
“We will confront the Zionist criminals who wish to destroy our civilization. We recognize that the West was built by the White Race alone and we owe nothing to any other race,” Chapman wrote.
The SPLC monitors and tracks hate groups across the country and says the Proud Boys have a history of violence, showing up at demonstrations “to incite violent confrontations.”
“Rank-and-file Proud Boys and leaders regularly spout white nationalist memes and maintain affiliations with known extremists,” the SPLC said.
On Thursday, Tarrio told the news website insider.com that Chapman “has no power in our organization” and that “Kyle is on a drunken rant,” calling the attempt to seize control “a bad joke.”