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Proud Boys founder Gavin McInnes visits McHenry after multiple cancellations

Mayor Wayne Jett says in video, later deleted, that community’s reaction to McInnes event ‘made him sad’

By Aaron Dorman
Attendees gather outside for a pop-up meet-and-greet Gavin McInnes in McHenry on Thursday, Oct. 20, 2022. McInnes went to Ye Olde Corner Tap after his planned show at the Vixen was cancelled over his controversial past, including his founding of the Proud Boys.

Gavin McInnes talks with attendees of a meet-and-greet in McHenry on Thursday, Oct. 20, 2022. McInnes went to Ye Olde Corner Tap after his planned show at the Vixen was cancelled. (Aaron Dorman)

Right-wing provocateur and Proud Boys founder Gavin McInnes was twice denied a venue for a private comedy event Thursday before settling into the Veterans of Foreign Wars Post 4600 in McHenry, but not before angering community members of all political stripes, including McHenry Mayor Wayne Jett.

McInnes’ event initially was planned for the Brauer House in Lombard, but it was switched to the Vixen in downtown McHenry, a move that sparked criticism on Facebook and calls to inundate the venue with phone calls.

The event at the Vixen was subsequently canceled, and McInnes switched to a meet-and-greet at Ye Olde Corner Tap several blocks away. McInnes said he would be performing at the VFW later in the evening.

In a collective statement, the owners of the Vixen said they “fully support free speech, but we do not advocate nor condone hate speech. The ownership has become aware of the deplorable views of ‘the artists’ scheduled to perform this evening, and we chose to cancel the event.”

McInnes, who also co-founded Vice Media, founded the Proud Boys in 2016, though he is no longer part of the group’s leadership. The Southern Poverty Law Center designated the Proud Boys a hate group, leading McInnes to sue the organization.

Proud Boys members describe the group as a politically incorrect men’s club for “Western chauvinists,” The Associated Press reported. They have brawled with antifascist activists at rallies and protests.

FILE - In this April 27, 2017, file photo, Gavin McInnes, center, founder of the far-right group Proud Boys, is surrounded by supporters after speaking at a rally in Berkeley, Calif. The Canadian government designated the Proud Boys group as a terrorist entity on Wednesday, Feb. 3, 2021, noting they played a pivotal role in the insurrection at the U.S. Capitol on Jan. 6. McInnes has described the group as a politically incorrect men’s club for “Western chauvinists” and denies affiliations with far-right extremist groups that overtly espouse racist and anti-Semitic views.

Gavin McInnes FILE - In this April 27, 2017, file photo, Gavin McInnes, center, founder of the far-right group Proud Boys, is surrounded by supporters after speaking at a rally in Berkeley, Calif. The Canadian government designated the Proud Boys group as a terrorist entity on Wednesday, Feb. 3, 2021, noting they played a pivotal role in the insurrection at the U.S. Capitol on Jan. 6. McInnes has described the group as a politically incorrect men’s club for “Western chauvinists” and denies affiliations with far-right extremist groups that overtly espouse racist and anti-Semitic views. (AP Photo/Marcio Jose Sanchez, File/AP)

McHenry resident Paul Levesque came downtown with his wife, Pauline, Thursday evening to see what was happening at the Vixen. Levesque had strong feelings against McInnes and lamented that as someone who finds him a “polished” brand of fascism, he was possibly in the minority.

Another McHenry resident, Tracy Campagna, was among those pointing a finger at McHenry’s mayor.

In a video posted to Facebook, that was later deleted, Jett expressed his frustration with the pushback to McInnes’ visit. In the video, Jett said the community’s reaction “made him sad” and he wished the Vixen had not cancelled the event. He said “I’m done with all of you” who posted comments about the situation on Facebook.

After deleting the video, Jett posted a statement to his Facebook page, criticizing those who he said attacked him for allowing the event.

Jett said the event had been booked without him knowing one of the people involved was McInnes but he had spoken with McInnes earlier in the day. He said the event was not a Proud Boys event and was instead a private comedy show involving five comedians, including Anthony Cumia.

In his initial video, “I have been through so much crap with comments about not supporting BLM or supporting the Proud Boys,” Jett said in his a subsequent post. “Those who smeared my name on social media should look in the mirror. Listen, you’re no better than all the others dividing this city, county, country etc. I don’t support violence from anyone. But I would like to hope people change and I’m a person who supports giving second chances.”

McInnes, who was greeted by a packed crowd at Ye Olde Corner Tap, said they knew exactly who he was but criticized the Vixen and other venues for being “petrified of the left” and capitulating to social media campaigns.

“They are making me more exciting,” McInnes said. “What these lefties don’t understand is they are turning me into this secret, spooky guy, and young people love that. I’m the guy you’re not allowed to listen to. This is rock n’ roll. Stop making me cool.”

McInnes disputed that he is a white supremacist, but said his views included support for closed borders and he is dismissive of the transgender community.

“I do have controversial opinions, but white supremacy is not on my list,” McInnes said. “My wife is Indian American. I wish I could be attacked for things I actually believe in.”

Correction: This article has been updated to correct the venue in Lombard where Gavin McInnes was originally scheduled to appear Thursday.

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