Proud Boys Planning Largest Pride Month Disruptions Yet

The violent extremist group "The Proud Boys" is reportedly planning to steal the show during Pride Month by rebranding it as "Proud," a celebration of "straight pride" and "Western values," Business Insider reported.

Undeterred by four of its group members being convicted of sedition for their involvement in the January 6 attack on Capitol Hill, the Proud Boys seem to be too proud to sit down and shut up.

The counter to Pride Month is reportedly being designed to provoke violence and grow their membership, according to what a member posted on "internal planning channel" Telegram, according to Business Insider. The member said the group wants to challenge today's "perversion of the Nuclear Family and Gender."

"We are seeing just a singular focus on LGBTQ people" among the Proud Boys and far-right hate groups in general, Business Insider quoted Heidi Bierich, co-founder of the Global Project Against Hate and Extremism, as saying.

"And I don't see how we don't end up having more violence next month," she warned. "It's frankly getting a little out of control."

Not to be confused with the Oath Keepers, the Proud Boys have been steadily growing as an extremist group, with roughly 190 loosely affiliated regional chapters.

Last year alone, there were around 174 anti-LGBTQ+ demonstrations, "with the Proud Boys participating more than any other militant, far-right group, according to the Armed Conflict Location & Event Data Project," Business Insider reported.

But this year, the Proud Boys are doubling their anti-LGBTQ+ efforts, and are laser focused on Pride month. Patriot Front, a white nationalist group that recently demonstrated – in masks – at the US Capitol, is also expected to show an increased presence at Pride events.

"What happened last year, it was probably just a whiff of what we might see this year, after 12 months of organizing," Bierich said.

Stay safe during Pride Month! Read more at Business Insider.