A man who participated in the storming of the U.S. Capitol on January 6, 2021, was sentenced to six years in prison after insulting and berating the judge who sentenced him. Marc Bru, a member of the Proud Boys extremist group, repeatedly interrupted Chief Judge James Boasberg during the proceedings, calling him a “clown” and a “fraud.” Bru showed no remorse for his actions, stating that he would do it all over again if given the chance. Prosecutors described Bru as one of the least remorseful rioters, stating that he had planned for an armed insurrection to take over the government in Portland, Oregon, following the Capitol attack. They recommended a sentence of seven years and three months.
Bru, who represented himself at his trial, displayed anti-government rhetoric inspired by the sovereign citizen movement. He demanded that the judge and prosecutor turn over five years of their financial records at the start of the hearing. Bru absconded before his trial and skipped two court hearings, boasting on Twitter that the government would have to come get him. He was eventually arrested in March 2021 and charged with multiple offenses.
During the Capitol riot, Bru breached a restricted area near Peace Circle and later joined other rioters inside the building. He grabbed a barricade and shoved it against police officers. Prosecutors presented evidence that Bru had texted a friend about buying gas masks in bulk and had discussed with a Proud Boys recruit his plans to repeat the violence and lawlessness of January 6 in Portland. They argued that Bru’s takeaway from the Capitol attack was that it was not violent enough or dedicated enough to overthrowing the government.
Over 1,200 people have been charged with Capitol riot-related crimes, with about 900 pleading guilty or being convicted after trials. Around two-thirds of those sentenced have received some term of imprisonment. Bru’s case highlights the continued defiance and radicalization of some defendants, even after their arrest and conviction.
