Beltway Area Indymedia

As of Thursday, July 12, a DC grand jury has yet to return an indictment for the armed anti-immigrant member of the Herndon Minutemen, Tyler Froatz.

Today, Wednesday, June 20, the heavily armed, anti-immigrant member of the Herndon Minutemen, Tyler Froatz Jr. was ordered to be released into the custody of his parents, Tyler and Jeanne Froatz (of Wayne, NJ), by DC Superior Court Judge James Boasberg. Mr. Froatz had previously been ordered to be held in the DC Jail, pending today's hearing, after being arrested at an immigrant rights rally on May 1st for assault, and for carrying a dangerous weapon (weapons found on Mr. Froatz that day included a stun gun, a claw hammer, a molotov cocktail, and a (converted) fully automatic M1 carbine rifle).

Today, Thursday, May 17, in DC Superior Court, at 500 Indiana Avenue NW, Judge James Boasberg denied Tyler Froatz Jr.'s request to be released pending trial.

Demonstrators appeared outside of the courthouse to denounce Mr. Froatz and the racist ideology of the Minuteman Project. With signs and fliers, they informed passers by of the details of Mr. Froatz's case, and information about the anti-immigrant Minuteman Project. Many observers indicated their disgust for the racist ideology of the Minuteman Project, and for the threatening actions of Mr. Froatz.

Mr. Froatz, a member of the Herndon Minutemen, was arrested after assaulting, both verbally and physically, attendees of an immigrants' rights rally in Malcolm X Park on May 1. Mr. Froatz was found to have numerous weapons on his person, as well as in his vehicle, along with anti-immigrant literature. After his arrest, police seized numerous weapons from his 8th St. NW Apartment, at 5320 8th St. NW, Apt. 107, including nearly a dozen unregistered rifles, a grenade launcher, and several other weapons.