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A judge in the US has sentenced the former leader of the far-right Proud Boys group to 22 years in jail for his role in the Capitol Hill riots of January 6th 2021. On that day supporters of the outgoing president Donald Trump tried to overturn his 2020 electoral loss to Joe Biden.

Enrique Tarrio was accused of trying to trigger what prosecutors called a "new American Revolution" and helping to orchestrate and organize the assault even though he wasn't in Washington on the day.

Prosecutors had wanted Mr Tarrio to be sentenced to more than three decades in prison. Rina Shah, a US political commentator and former Republican party strategist based in Washington DC, gave Newsday her response:

鈥淗e is the former Proud Boys chairman鈥� he now holds the highest sentence for anyone related to (the Capitol Riots of) January 2021. This is a great day for the rule of law. He鈥檚 shown no remorse for what he put together that day. Fellow Americans [lost] their lives.鈥�

鈥淚t was exactly three years ago this month that Donald Trump was standing on a debate stage telling the Proud Boys to stand back and stand by. He refused to denounce any extremist groups especially white nationalists groups. He remains the standard bearer of the Republican party and鈥� it seems many far-right Republicans would be very happy to have Trump back.鈥�

(Pic: Far-right Proud Boys leader Enrique Tarrio (centre) during a pro-Trump rally in Washington DC in 2020; Credit: Reuters)

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