Ex-Proud Boys Leader Says Far-Right Group Saw January 6 Riot as Another 'American Revolution'

Some leaders of the far-right extremist group Proud Boys are now on trial for seditious conspiracy and several revelations have come out as they testified.

Jeremy Bertino, one of the leaders of Proud Boys, testified Wednesday that he was at home in North Carolina as his group stormed the Capitol on January 6, 2021. According to the New York Times, Bertino noted that at the time, he was watching the riot's livestreams and offering advice to fellow Proud Boys on the ground.

The former Proud Boys leader was unable to join the group as he was still recovering from stab wounds. Bertino said he believed that the January 6 riot was another American Revolution. Bertino was barking orders from home as he watched things unfold and admitted in court that he was excited.

"I thought I was watching history and watching the guys about to go into the building," he testified at the seditious conspiracy trial of five members of the Proud Boys in Federal District Court in Washington.

As he took the stand against his former associates, Bertino gave jurors an insider's look into the organization's growing sense of desperation in the weeks leading up to the Capitol insurrection.

He said he and the other group leaders came to believe that "time was running out to save the country," so the Proud Boys must take the lead in making other Trump supporters into realizing an "all-out revolution."

"We were desperate at this point for anything else that could have changed the outcome of the election," Bertino noted as USA Today reported. However, he said other Capitol rioters had failed to follow the group's leaders.

The five defendants were Proud Boys leaders Ethan Nordean, Joseph Biggs, Zachary Rehl, Dominic Pezzola, and Henry "Enrique" Tarrio. Bertino admitted that he swapped texts with Tarrio on January 6 as they hoped that they would track down former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi.

Lawyers for Proud Boys Plan to Subpoena Donald Trump

Defense lawyers for the five Proud Boys leaders are planning to get former President Donald Trump to testify as a witness for the defense. However, CNN reported that this might be a longshot as judges have previously rejected subpoenas for the former president.

The defense lawyers have previously presented arguments that the rioters were acting on Trump's orders. However, District Judge Timothy Kelly rejected the argument, saying that the former president had no authority to order a mob to storm the Capitol.

Proud Boys Membership Surged After Donald Trump's 'Stand Back and Stand By' Message

During his 2020 presidential debate against Joe Biden, Donald Trump was asked if he could condemn white supremacist groups like the Proud Boys who support him.

To this, Trump said on air: "Proud Boys, stand back and stand by. But I'll tell you what: Somebody's got to do something about antifa and the left because this is not a right-wing problem... this is a left-wing problem."

Bertino testified that when Trump delivered that message, he said he was "stunned and excited" to hear Trump mention the group. According to ABC News, the former Proud Boys leader said that membership requests to join the group surged after Trump's message.

In his testimony, Bertino also admitted that his baseless belief that the 2020 election was stolen grew in the months and weeks leading up to the January 6 insurrection. He said he shared this view with other members of the Proud Boys. Bertino was the only Proud Boys leader who pleaded guilty to seditious conspiracy.

READ MORE: Oath Keepers Founder Found Guilty of Seditious Conspiracy

This article is owned by Latin Post.

Written by: Rick Martin

WATCH: 'The Revolution Had Failed' | Ex-Proud Boy Says Group Wanted War After January 6 - From WUSA-9