Proud Boys right-wing activist Tusitala "Tiny" Toese has been jailed after breaking his terms of probation, relating to an assault charge.
Toese had been on probation after pleading guilty to a fourth-degree assault in 2018. After repeatedly breaking the terms of his community sentence, including leaving the state without permission, he has been sentenced to six months in prison.
The 24-year-old Samoan is part of the self-styled "western chauvinist group" Proud Boys that often clashes with left-wing protesters at rallies. Part of the terms of Toese's probation was to not attend protests.
He failed to notify his probation officer that he was leaving Clark County, and participated in a rally on August 23, according to the Multnomah County District Attorney's Office.
It wasn't the first time Toese had broken his probation terms, which required him to regularly check in with his supervising officer, sleep at his home address in Vancouver, and wear an ankle bracelet. However, he allegedly failed to charge his bracelet, slept overnight in various locations, missed meetings and attended other protests.
His probation officer recommended the court sentence him to a year in prison. Toese will serve six months, with credit for time already served.
"Mr. Toese has continued to ignore his supervision requirements. By refusing to report, failing to charge his GPS and not providing any information in regards to where he is staying, Mr. Toese is making himself unavailable for supervision," stated his probation officer in court.
The district attorney's office said Toese hadn't yet settled fines and fees payable to the victim, who suffered financial loss due to medical bills. The 2018 assault left Timothy Ledwith with stitches and a concussion.
The 2018 assault on Ledwith didn't take place at a protest, but was connected to violent protests that have occurred in Portland, said Nathan Vasquez, a senior deputy district attorney.
The Proud Boys was set up by VICE Media co-founder Gavin McInnes, and is a far-right, anti-immigrant, pro-Trump male-only organization that formed ahead of the 2016 U.S. election. It has been classified by the FBI as an "extremist group."
In 2003, McInnes stated to The New York Times: "I love being white and I think it's something to be very proud of. I don't want our culture diluted. We need to close the borders now and let everyone assimilate to a Western, white, English-speaking way of life."
The organization can regularly be seen wielding weapons, American flags, and wearing Fred Perry polo shirts. The Southern Poverty Law Center (SPLC) lists the Proud Boys as a hate group.
Uncommon Knowledge
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Newsweek is committed to challenging conventional wisdom and finding connections in the search for common ground.
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Jade has been a journalist for more than 15 years. She has lived in and reported on the Middle East, ... Read more
