A so-called ‘straight pride’ hate rally held in Modesto, California, on Saturday ended with bear spray and brawling as the far-right group the Proud Boys clashed with pro-LGBTQ protesters.
Prior to the hate rally organized by the Proud Boys, about 100 LGBTQ people and their supporters gathered in Roosevelt Park for an event described as “No Hate In The Valley.” Several groups, including MoPride and the Stanislaus Chapter of the Democratic Socialists of America, joined together to speak out against the “straight pride” group and affirm the LGBTQ+ community.
(image via Facebook)Jupiter Dalby, an organizer with the Central California LGBTQ Collaborative, told the Modesto Bee he feels there are several places in the Central Valley where LGBTQ equality lagging.
Calling out the mayor and Modesto City Council, Dalby said, “They need to stand up for us. They need to show up for us.”
Two people face misdemeanor charges following a fight that shut down McHenry Avenue. https://t.co/G5LSePIVfT
— The Modesto Bee (@modbee) August 29, 2021
As the pro-LGBTQ group was winding up their event, just a few blocks away the “straight pride” rally was getting started. As in the past, their location of choice was the Modesto Planned Parenthood.
For about an hour the Proud Boys, along with a conservative pastor and other far-right extremists, traded verbal barbs with a group of counter-protesters who had gathered across the street.
But shortly after 1 p.m. things escalated to physical violence as punches were thrown and clouds of bear spray filled the air and protesters faces.
VIDEO THREAD: Right-wing activists including Proud Boys brawled with black-bloc-clad antifascist counter-protesters Saturday outside a Planned Parenthood in Modesto, California following a “Straight Pride Parade” event.
A man in USA flag gaitor appeared to throw the first punch. pic.twitter.com/9xkdHr7A9L — Ford Fischer (@FordFischer) August 29, 2021
Modesto police officers arrived in tactical gear and fired an aerial flash bang to disperse the crowd of between 150 and 200 people which police declared an “unlawful assembly.” The police closed the street and arrested two people on misdemeanor charges.
One person faces charges of failure to disperse and resisting arrest, and the other person was charged with fighting in public.
Police sternly intervened, declaring the incident an “unlawful assembly” and pushing back both sides in the same direction in a riot formation.
All video in thread by @AeonPhotoCo for @N2Sreports pic.twitter.com/V668bUzzZF — Ford Fischer (@FordFischer) August 29, 2021
The straight pride hate rally – first began in 2019 – has never drawn more than a couple dozen participants to their events even though the organizers claim strong support. News2Share captured lengthy video footage of the two groups clashing. https://youtu.be/69fCOV8hlqs
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