WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. — A documentary screening and gala event took place Saturday evening in West Palm Beach, Florida, focusing on the Proud Boys, a far-right group whose members were prosecuted for their involvement in the January 6, 2021, attack on the U.S. Capitol. The event, held near Mar-a-Lago, former President Donald Trump’s private club and residence, aimed to portray the convicted members as victims of political persecution.
The documentary, titled "American Martyrs," depicts five Proud Boys—Enrique Tarrio, Joseph Biggs, Ethan Nordean, Zachary Rehl, and Dominic Pezzola—who were convicted on charges including seditious conspiracy related to the Capitol breach. Tarrio, notably, received a 22-year prison sentence, the longest among those sentenced for the January 6 cases. The film and accompanying event reframed their prosecutions as unjust actions by the U.S. government, a narrative supported by many attendees.
Approximately 300 guests gathered for the screening, which was styled as a high-profile cultural event complete with red carpet and swag bags. Among the attendees were George Santos, a former Republican congressman with a fraud conviction, and Rudolph W. Giuliani, former personal attorney to Trump and a disbarred New York lawyer. The event was emceed by Lara Logan, a former “60 Minutes” correspondent, and included a charity auction and panel discussion.
The panel later featured Giuliani, Michael T. Flynn, former national security adviser, and Simone Gold, a physician and anti-vaccine activist who served a 60-day sentence for illegally entering the Capitol. The discussion extended beyond the Proud Boys’ prosecution to broader conspiracy theories, with Flynn claiming a “shadow government” led by former President Barack Obama orchestrated the events of January 6—a claim with no supporting evidence. Giuliani offered alternative theories implicating either Obama or members of the far-left movement antifa, despite widespread refutation by investigations.
During the event, the Proud Boys appeared to considerable applause. Members acknowledged the ongoing impact of the January 6 attack but emphasized loyalty among their ranks, with Tarrio highlighting that none cooperated with prosecutors. The group’s portrayal at the event reinforced their defense against the charges, presenting themselves as principled patriots rather than perpetrators of political violence.
Despite the event’s framing, the U.S. Department of Justice maintains that the Proud Boys played a leading role in the violent breach of the Capitol, which disrupted the lawful transfer of presidential power. The government’s prosecution, which involved the use of conspiracy law to link the defendants to coordinated efforts in breaching security perimeters, has faced criticism but remains a significant criminal case among the more than 1,500 cases related to January 6.
Notably, the Justice Department has opposed recent lawsuits from some of the defendants alleging political persecution, countering claims that their prosecutions were motivated by partisan bias. This stance reflects the official position that the legal actions against the group were justified responses to serious offenses against democratic institutions.
The event, absent of Trump's presence but aligned with the broader Trumpist movement, illustrated ongoing divisions in the national conversation surrounding January 6 and its aftermath. For the attendees and producers, the evening was a moment to honor those convicted while challenging the prevailing narrative of the Capitol attack as an assault on democracy.