WASHINGTON − A historic Black church in Washington, D.C., whose Black Lives Matter sign was vandalized by members of the Proud Boys, plans to launch a project Monday to further support its social justice work and those of national groups.
“It will be a place for people to think about what we do next, how we move forward,” William Lamar, pastor of the Metropolitan African Methodist Episcopal Church told USA TODAY in an exclusive interview. “We will be considering questions like what do we all do next? How do we go forward and how can we be victorious in the space in which we find ourselves, politically and spiritually and emotionally?’’
The project, which will be posted on the church website, will provide a space for discussions about social justice concerns and ways to address them, Lamar said.
The move comes on the heels of a ruling Monday by a Washington D.C. judge that barred the Proud Boys from selling merchandise using its name or symbols without permission from the church. The ruling allows the church to seize money that the group makes through “any sale, transfer, disposition, or license of the Proud Boys Trademark.”
“We own the trademark to a violent white supremacist organization and we intend to take that evil and use it for good,’’ Lamar said.
The church sought action after the Proud Boys failed to pay on a $2.8 million judgment.
Rev. William Lamar speaks during an MLK Day rally on the day of the 2025 Presidential Inauguration at Metropolitan AME Church in Washington D.C. Monday, Jan. 20, 2025.
Enrique Tarrio, one of the Proud Boys’ leaders charged with vandalizing the sign in December 2020 following a rally supporting President Donald Trump, told USA TODAY Wednesday he doesn’t plan to sell any Proud Boys merchandise online or in a store.
“We don’t care because let somebody else have it,’’ he said. “If they try to enforce it, excuse my language, but we’ll wipe our a– with it.’’
Details: Proud Boys’ Enrique Tarrio tells all: Wants accusers to ‘feel the heat’, weighs sheriff run
Tarrio, who describes his heritage as afro-Cuban and has said his organization is not a white supremacist group, said he plans to appeal the court decision. He said he will make other shirts that won’t be for sale.
USA TODAY sits down with de facto Proud Boys leader Enrique Tarrio
“We turn lemons into lemonade,’’ said Tarrio, who was among nearly 1,600 people Trump pardoned last month for their role in the Jan. 6, 2021 riot at the U.S. Capitol. “So I’ll be making personal shirts that call us the African Methodist boys, since they want to take our trademark.”
”As soon as I get my printer up and running, I will be making some shirts, and I’m sure that you’re going to see the guys wearing them all over the place,” said Tarrio, who said he’s Baptist.
Lamar didn’t respond to Tarrio’s comments.
Metropolitan hopes to capitalize on the attention and support the work not only of the church, but others trying to address issues including environmental justice, health disparities and food insecurity, Lamar said.
“Our strategy is to deepen the work that already exist,’’ said Lamar.
The Black Lives Matter sign outside the Metropolitan African Methodist Episcopal Church in Washington, D.C. , pictured on Jan. 20, 2025. This sign is a replacement for another that was vandalized in 2020.
More: Civil rights activists call for action as King holiday and inauguration fall on same day
The church has since replaced the Black Lives Matter sign that was vandalized. Another which Lamar called ”bigger and blacker” is outside the historic red brick church.
The church located in downtown Washington is one of the oldest Black churches in the city. It has a long history with the Civil Rights Movement and recently hosted a rally on Martin Luther King, Jr., Day. Speakers at the rally sponsored by the National Action Network urged people to fight to protect civil rights under the Trump administration.
Contributing: Fernando Cervantes Jr., Will Carless
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Black church vandalized by Proud Boys aims to uplift justice causes
