6th, they gathered at the Washington Monument. At 10:30 a.m., the Proud Boys started their march down the National Mall towards the U.S. Capitol. In total, there were approximately 200–300 Proud Boys, as well as their associates, in the group.[54]
Enrique Tarrio, the chairman of the Proud Boys, was not in attendance. As explained in Chapter 6, Tarrio had been arrested two days earlier and ordered to leave Washington. However, Tarrio continued to monitor events remotely from Baltimore, communicating with his men throughout the day. With Tarrio offsite, the Proud Boys were led by three other senior members of the group: Ethan Nordean, Joseph Biggs, and Zachary Rehl.
Ethan Nordean (a.k.a. "Rufio Panman") was a member of the Proud Boys' Elders chapter and president of his local chapter in Seattle, Washington.[55] Nordean was regarded as the leader for January 6th after Tarrio was arrested.[56] In the days leading up to January 6th, Nordean made ominous comments on social media. In conversations with his fellow Proud Boys, he argued that the Presidential election was tainted by fraud and violence was a necessary remedy. For example, on January 4th, Nordean posted a video on social media with the title: "Let them remember the day they decided to make war with us."[57] In another social media post on January 5th, Nordean warned "we are coming for them." [58] He added a telling line: "You've chosen your side, black and yellow teamed with red, white and blue against everyone else."[59] The "black and yellow" is a reference to the Proud Boys. And when Nordean wrote the "red, white and blue," he likely meant the Trump supporters who would be in attendance for January 6th.
Joseph Biggs (a.k.a. "Sergeant Biggs") was a senior Proud Boys member and served as an event "organizer" for the group.[60] Biggs previously worked with Alex Jones and InfoWars.[61] In late December 2020, Biggs posted a message on Parler in which he explained that the Proud Boys "will not be attending DC in colors."[62] That is, unlike at previous events, the Proud Boys would not wear their branded, black and yellow clothing, but instead seek to be inconspicuous. Biggs continued:
We will be blending in as one of you. You won't see us. You'll even think we are you . . . We are going to smell like you, move like you, and look like you. The only thing we'll do that's us is think like us! Jan 6th is gonna be epic.[63]
Tarrio posted a similar message, saying the Proud Boys would go "incognito" on January 6th.[64] Consistent with this decision, Biggs was dressed in a plaid shirt, glasses, and dark hat as he led the march from the Washington Monument.[65] Other Proud Boys dressed in a similar fashion.
