Daily US Times: The leader of the far-right Proud Boys, Enrique Tarrio, group has reportedly been arrested in Washington DC on suspicion of burning a Black Lives Matter flag last month.

According to US media, Enrique Tarrio faces misdemeanour destruction of property charges.

He has reportedly admitted burning a Black Lives Matter banner taken from a black church during a rally in December in the city.

President Trump has been urging supporters to gather in the Washington DC this week for another demonstration.

On Wednesday, members of Congress are due to certify Joe Biden’s election victory before he takes office on 20 January.

On the social media app Parler, Mr Tarrio has said that the Proud Boys will “turn out in record numbers on Jan 6th”, referring to his members as “the most notorious group of extraordinary gentlemen”.

Dustin Sternbeck, a spokesman for the Metropolitan Police Department, told the Washington Post on Monday that the Proud Boys leader had been stopped in a vehicle shortly after it entered the district.

The 36-year-old was also found during his arrest to be in unlawful possession of two devices that allow guns to hold additional bullets, and he was charged accordingly.

The destruction of property charge relates to a protest in the capital on 12 December in support of the outgoing Republican president’s unsubstantiated claims of systemic election fraud.

The demonstration, which was mostly peaceful, ended in isolated scuffles as confrontations with counter-protesters broke out.

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