A police officer frequently provided Proud Boys leader Enrique Tarrio with internal information about law enforcement operations in the weeks before other members of his far-right extremist group stormed the U.S. Capitol, according to messages shown Wednesday at the trial of Tarrio and four associates.
A federal prosecutor showed jurors a string of messages that Metropolitan Police Lt. Shane Lamond and Tarrio privately exchanged in the run-up to a mob’s attack on the Capitol on Jan. 6, 2021. Lamond, an intelligence officer for the city’s police department, was responsible for monitoring groups like the Proud Boys when they came to Washington for protests.
Less than three weeks before the Jan. 6 riot, Lamond warned Tarrio that the FBI and U.S. Secret Service were “all spun up” over talk on an Infowars internet show that the Proud Boys planned to dress up as supporters of President Joe Biden on the Democrat’s inauguration day.
(1)In a message to Tarrio on Dec. 25, 2020, Lamond said Metropolitan Police Department investigators had asked him to identify Tarrio from a photograph. He warned Tarrio that police may be seeking a warrant for his arrest.
(2)In a message to Tarrio on Dec. 18, 2020, Lamond said other police investigators had asked him if the Proud Boys are racist. The officer said he told them that the group had Black and Latino members, “so not a racist thing.” “It’s not being investigated by the FBI, though. Just us,” Lamond added. “Awesome,” Tarrio replied.
(3)In another exchange that day, Lamond asked Tarrio if he had called in an anonymous tip claiming responsibility for the flag burning. “I did more than that,” Tarrio responded. “It’s on my social media.”
(4) In a message to Tarrio on Dec. 11, 2020, Lamond told him about the whereabouts of antifascist activists. The officer asked Tarrio if he should share that information with uniformed police officers or keep it to himself. Two days later, Tarrio asked Lamond what the police department’s “general consensus” was about the Proud Boys. “That’s too complicated for a text answer,” Lamond replied. “That’s an in-person conversation over a beer.”
(5) Lamond texted Tarrio and warned him that a warrant was issued for his arrest. Lamond said his primary objective was to get a heads up when Patriot Front visited the District to “make sure no counter groups are interfering with your right to demonstrate.”
(6)On Jan. 29, 2021 — about three weeks after supporters of President Donald Trump stormed the U.S. Capitol — the Patriot Front came to the District and marched. D.C. police said at the time they were “aware previously that demonstrations were to take place.” But that information apparently didn’t come from Lamond.
To date, this cop is considered innocent because he has not been charged with a crime.
This article is made possible by the work of journalists at the Washington Post &Yahoo.com.