“We need to stop fighting Antifa on the streets where the police are and start fighting them in bars and alleys,” wrote Donohoe in 2019. “We need to trample them. We need to ruin their lives physically as they ruined ours financially with doxxing. We need to accumulate your hospital bills. We need to use special operations and lightning strike tactics. “
According The Daily Beast, his previous profile photo on the encrypted social network showed him shaking the hand of a member of the DC Metropolitan Police, later identified as Collin Cole, a black policeman who served in the Navy with Donohoe.
In a Facebook post at that time, Donohoe talked about counterprotests scheduled to take place in downtown DC. He tagged Cole, who responded to the post saying, “I will be working at the center today for the protests.”
Donohoe responded to the officer saying, “You will see me [sic] I have the proud boys. Do not announce this publicly, please, Antifa is trying to ruin our weekend. “To which, Cole replied,” Of course not! I’ll keep an eye out. “
Following the recent arrest of Donohoe for his alleged involvement in the Capitol riots, the New York Times did a little research to learn more about the leader of the Proud Boys. The publication reported that he and some others have ties to law enforcement. When the Daily Beast held out his hand for Cole to comment, he claimed he didn’t know about Donohoe’s arrest just saying, “Wow. Wow. Wow. I don’t want to be associated with that.”
He also claimed that he was unaware of the far-right groups that Donohoe spoke of when he marked him in his previous posts. “I think he was just warning me, like, ‘Be careful, Antifa’s attack’, but it was nothing more,” said Cole.
Subsequent research also revealed that Donohoe is not the only member of the Proud Boys with links to the police. The publication reports that Zach Rehl, identified as a veteran of the Navy who serves as president of the Proud Boys’ Philadelphia chapter, also has deep ties to law enforcement.
According Philadelphia Inquirer, Rehl – described as one of the “most visible representatives of the far-right organization on the East Coast” – has family ties to the police department. Last summer, Rehl was also seen “mingling with police at the Philadelphia police union”.
Previous reports also suggest that Rehl has strong ties to the police department. After a demonstration in September, the Daily Beast noted that the “Philadelphia Proud Boys were escorted back to their cars by a police caravan. A Philadelphia police officer was filmed talking and shaking hands with the group in what the city’s public prosecutor described . The Daily Beast as an “extra-friendly” interaction. “
The group’s connections to law enforcement raise a number of questions about its ties. Currently, Philadelphia Police Detective Jennifer Gugger is also at the center of an internal investigation by the department for her alleged participation in the rally of former President Donald Trump that preceded the deadly Capitol riots.
The most recent reports come when Donohoe, Rehl and several other members of the Proud Boys face charges for the US Capitol insurrection. On Wednesday, March 17, Donohoe was arrested and charged with conspiracy for his alleged involvement in the United States Capitol riots.
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