QUEEN’S PARK – Official Opposition NDP Leader Andrea Horwath and NDP Critic for Anti-Racism Laura Mae Lindo released the following statement in response to the involvement of the Proud Boys – a Canadian-founded, far-right hate group in yesterday’s storming of Capitol Hill in Washington, DC:
“Yesterday, a violent mob led by far-right hate groups and incited by US President Donald Trump stormed the US Capitol in an attempt to stop the certification of the 2020 Presidential election.
In addition to storming and looting the Capitol, media reports show that participants in this brazen attack on democracy and the rule of law wore and carried white supremacist, anti-Black and antisemitic symbols, and erected a noose near the Capitol steps – a clear message to Black voters evoking a long history of lynching and political violence. Among the organizers of this mob were Canadian-founded hate group the Proud Boys.
Canada has seen a 200% increase in active hate groups over the last five years, and yesterday’s events make it painfully clear that far-right white supremacists groups pose a grave threat to all of our communities and democracy itself.
Shamefully, multiple media reports show that Premier Doug Ford has posed for photos with Proud Boys, in addition to known white supremacist Faith Goldy. The Proud Boys have even named Mr. Ford the “Proud Boy of the Month” in the past, paraphrasing Donald Trump by claiming Ford would ‘Make Ontario Great Again’. This is unacceptable.
We are calling on Premier Doug Ford to clearly and unequivocally denounce the Proud Boys. We are also calling on Mr. Ford to make it clear to authorities in Ottawa that it is Ontario’s position that this violent extremist group should be added to the list of Terrorist Entities, empowering law enforcement to include them in Canada’s counter-terrorism strategy.
As Ontarians, we must all step up and do everything we can to limit the reach and power of these organizations. That starts with clearly cutting any ties with those who espouse hate, and includes a province-wide Anti-Racism strategy that aggressively addresses the rising tide of hate, and acts to dismantle far-right hate groups and extremist organizations.”