WE ARE THE PROUD BOYS

A gripping investigation into the nation's most notorious far-right group, revealing how they created a new blueprint for extremism and turned American politics into a blood sport.

With the GOP's declaration that the January 6 insurrection was "legitimate political discourse," the outcome of the last six years became clear: violence is now a normal part of American political life. To most, it was an unfathomable development. But to HuffPost's leading extremism reporter Andy Campbell, it was clear that the answer lay in the story of one group: the Proud Boys. Publishing in time for the Proud Boys' sedition trial this fall, WE ARE PROUD BOYS: How a Right-Wing Street Gang Ushered in a New Era of American Extremism presents the untold story of blundering, punch-happy goons with matching outfits, bizarre rituals, and a reputation for violence who grew to become the centerpiece of American extremism and positioned themselves as the unofficial enforcement arm of the GOP. The ongoing congressional hearings, which put the Proud Boys at the center of the Capitol Riot, make clear that America is finally waking up to this story. Campbell explains America's thriving constellation of extremist groups with an urgent sense that, left unopposed, the political violence and hateful ideology that the Proud Boys fostered during the Trump era will continue to grow until it crystalizes forever. Campbell reveals the playbook the Proud Boys have created for domestic extremism, such as how to be coy about bigotry by framing everything they say as either logical debate or unserious satire, and Campbell gives us the necessary insight to push back against radicalism in America before it swallows our democracy whole. Campbell is the first person to get Roger Stone on the record to speak about the Proud Boys, and Campbell's deep research for the book includes readily given interviews with Proud Boys founder Gavin McInnes himself and ex-leader Enrique Tarrio. Andy Campbell is an investigative reporter and editor covering extremism, misinformation, and their intersection with national politics. He is currently based in New York, where he works on the breaking news desk at HuffPost. He is considered an expert on American extremism, having covered the modern rise of the far-right at the ground level, including the neo-Nazi rallies in Charlottesville, Virginia in 2017. His work is regularly cited in scientific studies and scholarly papers and featured on network cable news and radio. Previously, he worked for The Brooklyn Paper and New York Post.