At trial, U.S. prosecutors to accuse Proud Boys of sedition in Jan. 6 Capitol assault

FILE PHOTO: A U.S. Supreme Court police officer stands between flag waving supporters of those arrested in the January 6, 2021 attack on the U.S. Capitol and counter protestors to avoid conflict during a demonstration held between the U.S. Supreme Court and the U.S. Capitol Building on the 2nd anniversary of the attack in Washington, U.S. January 6, 2023. REUTERS/Jon Cherry

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Federal prosecutors are expected to make opening arguments as early as Thursday in the seditious conspiracy trial of former Proud Boys chairman Henry "Enrique" Tarrio and four other members of the far-right group, who are charged with planning to attack the U.S. Capitol on Jan. 6, 2021, to block Joe Biden's presidential victory.

The case marks the third time that the Justice Department has charged members of extremist groups with plotting an assault on U.S. democracy that day, when supporters of then-President Donald Trump invaded the Capitol in a failed bid to prevent lawmakers from certifying his November 2020 election loss to Biden.