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Sources: 'Proud Boys' Member Arrested In Connection To Brawl Outside Manhattan GOP Club

NEW YORK (CBSNewYork/AP) -- A member of the far-right, male only group "The Proud Boys" was arrested Thursday in connection to a brawl following a speech by the group's founder at the Metropolitan Republican Club last week, sources tell CBS2.

38-year-old Geoffrey Young was arrested at his home in New City, New York and charged with riot and attempted assault, sources say.

The violence between the far-right group and anti-fascist activists erupted following an appearance by Gavin McInnes, who founded the group which describes themselves as "western chauvinists."

MORE: 3 Arrested After Violence Erupts Outside NYC Republican Club Event

MORE: NYPD, Governor Speak Out After Violent Far Right, Anti-Fascist Groups Clash On NYC Streets

Videos posted on YouTube show the clashes between the two groups. Finbarr Slonim, Kai Russo, and Caleb Perkins were initially arrested when police arrived at the club around 8 p.m. on Friday.

New York City Public Advocate Tish James called for additional arrests in connection to the melee, and encouraged Manhattan District Attorney Cy Vance to pursue hate crime charges.

"I am disturbed and disgusted by the videos I've seen of members of the neo-fascist, white supremacist Proud Boys group in hate-fueled mob violence in the streets of New York City," James said in a statement posted to Twitter. "New York will not become the next Charlottesville, and we refuse to let the actions of a hateful few define out City."

Governor Andrew Cuomo issued a statement calling for further investigation into the violence.

"Hate cannot and will not be tolerated in New York," the statement read. "Here's a message from a Queens boy to the so-called 'proud boys' - New York has zero tolerance for your BS."

Cuomo spoke out on the radio on Monday, blasting the Metropolitan Club for even inviting McInnes to speak.

"He was foul and racist and chauvinistic and there was violence afterwards," he said about the speaker.

"I think the New York State Republican Party knew exactly what they were doing," said Cuomo. "They did what Trump was calling for. It was hostile, it was ugly it was racial it was sexist and it once again heated the extreme elements and heated the hate and fanned the flames of hate."

The state Republican Party called the comments "outrageous."

The Metropolitan Club released a statement that reads in part:

"He had spoken at the Club approximately a year and a half ago, at which time there was no hint of violence. We do invite speakers to the Club with differing political points of view - some we agree with and some which we do not."

The NYPD says it's unclear if the three men arrested last week were affiliated with either group. Sources tell CBS2 several others are being sought in connection to the melee.

(© Copyright 2018 CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved. The Associated Press contributed to this report.)

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