Orlando DSA Statement on Jacob Engels and the Proud Boys at Political Salsa 2018

It has come to our attention that an out and open member of known hate group The Proud Boys, Jacob Engels, has been invited to the upcoming “Political Salsa” event being held by the Puerto Rican Bar Association as a legitimate member of the media. At this event, he will be given access to a platform as well as to candidates to ask questions, despite his affiliation with a hate group. A promotional video for the Political Salsa 2018 featuring Engels was posted to their facebook page, seen here.

The Proud Boys are an organization that describes itself as a “pro-Western fraternal organization”. They are anti-immigrant, anti-Muslim, and attack women’s rights. In 2002, Gavin McInnes, the founder of the Proud Boys and still current leader, was asked by the New York Press about how he felt about the Williamsburg neighborhood in New York where he resided and was quoted as follows: “Well, at least they’re not niggers or Puerto Ricans. At least they’re white.”

The Southern Poverty Law Center lists The Proud Boys as a hate group, writing:

“Their disavowals of bigotry are belied by their actions: rank-and-file Proud Boys and leaders regularly spout white nationalist memes and maintain affiliations with known extremists. They are known for anti-Muslim and misogynistic rhetoric. Proud Boys have appeared alongside other hate groups at extremist gatherings like the “Unite the Right” rally in Charlottesville. Indeed, former Proud Boys member Jason Kessler helped to organize the event, which brought together Klansmen, antisemites, Southern racists, and militias. Kessler was only “expelled” from the group after the violence and near-universal condemnation of the Charlottesville rally-goers.”

Engels has not concealed his identity as a Proud Boy, and the Puerto Rican Bar Association is well aware of the affiliation. The Puerto Rican Bar Association has stood behind their decision to invite and promote Jacob Engels despite his association with this hate group. They have claimed in statements made to our members that their event is non-partisan, so they must host him. However, in response, we feel it is important to point out that this event is a private event, so they can invite whomever they choose and are not required to host or promote a member of a known hate group. Supporting a member of an admittedly Western chauvinist organization that has been involved in some of the worst politically motivated violence this country has seen in recent years is a choice the Puerto Rican Bar Association is actively making, and it is the wrong one. As Orlando DSA, we strongly condemn this choice, as it puts an already vulnerable Central Florida Puerto Rican community at risk.

In a statement released by the Puerto Rican Bar Association in response to criticism of their promotion of Engels, the Association emphasizes that they are inviting “social media personalities to provide balanced coverage of the debates currently occurring online through non-traditional media”. However, over ten different Proud Boys accounts, including their national organization’s account and an account associated with their paramilitary training group, were recently suspended by Twitter due to their violation of the company’s policy regarding violent hate groups. As such, we cannot help but wonder why a member of the Proud Boys is being promoted by the Association as a “social media personality” that might provide “balanced coverage” of any debates.

Puerto Ricans have already gone through the tragedy of Hurricane Maria and the horrifically negligent response by the Trump Administration that cost thousands of lives. They do not need to be subjected to a member of a hate group in the name of “free speech” or “bipartisanship”. Orlando DSA urges the Puerto Rican Bar Association not to host, promote, or associate itself with any member of an organization that contains these hideously racist and specifically anti-Puerto Rican elements.

We do not ask the fox what its intentions are before it enters the hen house. No platform for hate!

For reference on The Proud Boys:

https://www.splcenter.org/fighting-hate/extremist-files/group/proud-boys

https://www.buzzfeednews.com/article/ryanmac/twitter-suspends-proud-boys-and-founder-gavin-mcinnes?bftwnews&utm_term=4ldqpgc#4ldqpgc

https://rewire.news/article/2017/08/28/hate-goes-mainstream-gavin-mcinnes-proud-boys/

https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2018/07/explained-proud-boys-180716144139072.html

Reference on Jacob Engels and his affiliation with The Proud Boys:

Engels posts a video of his affiliation with the Proud Boys on the “media site” he’s representing at the Political Salsa in this post.