Yesterday, a ‘Straight Pride’ parade was held in Boston, MA organized by John Hugo, Samson Racioppi and ‘Super Happy Fun America‘. Conservative icon, considered controversial by many, Milo Yiannopoulos was the ‘grand marshal’ of the parade. Ironically, Yionnopoulos himself is gay but supports the movement of heterosexuals having their own parade as an answer to LGBT pride parades.
Well, this parade did not exactly go off without a hitch. Although it wasn’t advertised as an official right-wing movement, many on the left and in the LGBT community considered it unnecessary and some even took to the streets to protest the parade.
Different outlets have different reports on what went down with the protesters. CNN reports the parade drew ‘counterprotesters’ implying that it was a protest. They reported that 34 people were arrested and 4 officers were injured, none life-threatening. In the CNN story we reference below, they don’t comment much on who got arrested or why.
CNN reports:
Monica Cannon-Grant of Black Lives Matter Cambridge helped organize one of the counterprotests and said her group wanted to “stand up against hatred.” “I feel like they capitalized on Boston Pride, which is our LGBTQ celebration. They used it as their next thing to hate on,” she told CNN in an interview.”We chanted against hatred and we won,” added Cannon-Grant, founder and CEO of Violence in Boston, a victim advocacy group.
Ryan Broderick of Buzzfeed news reported on his verified Twitter account that there was a showdown between ‘antifascists and Boston Pd.’. He didn’t specifically call them by the designated name AntiFa, but it appears as though that’s who he is referring to. Boston Herald does though, in an article covering the apparent melee.
From Boston Herald:
Tensions flared in the crowd of about 200 people which was composed mostly of counterprotesters and peppered with far left groups like Antifa. The controversial parade garnered national attention since its inception in June.
“We’re covered in black so when we attack these guys we can’t be prosecuted,” said Jon Crowley, an Antifa member who told the Herald that he felt violence was the only way to deal with the people marching in the parade, which went from Copley Square to City Hall Plaza. “They are fascists, 100%. How else are you going to get them to shut up?”
SEE TWEET FROM RYAN BRODERICK BELOW:
Showdown outside between antifascists and Boston Pd. Cops super late to keep peace. Seems like no one knows what’s supposed to happen. pic.twitter.com/A459IKEtH7
— Ryan Broderick (@broderick) August 31, 2019
Well regardless of whether or not you agree with the premise of the people who organized and participated in the straight pride parade, it’s not hard to draw the conclusion that most of the people arrested were likely from the side that was protesting the parade. Well, two of the 4 members of ‘The Squad’ decided yesterday to both post tweets linking to sites raising money to bail out those who were arrested. AOC tweeted:
“One way to support the local LGBTQ community impacted by Boston’s white supremacist parade?
Contribute to the Bail Fund for the activists who put themselves on the line protecting the Boston community:”
Ayanna Pressley tweeted:
“Join me right now in making a contribution. TY to the allies & accomplices who stood in the gap & laid their bodies on the line today in affront #LGBT hate march. To everyone feeling unseen & vulnerable today…we got you. Equitable outrage. Our destinies & freedoms are tied.”
SEE TWEETS BELOW:
One way to support the local LGBTQ community impacted by Boston’s white supremacist parade?
— Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (@AOC) September 1, 2019
Contribute to the Bail Fund for the activists who put themselves on the line protecting the Boston community:https://t.co/z2NRSqHMve
(Any $ left over goes to @MassBailFund+@Boston_GLASS) https://t.co/G9xhIda6sF
Join me right now in making a contribution. TY to the allies & accomplices who stood in the gap & laid their bodies on the line today in affront #LGBT hate march. To everyone feeling unseen & vulnerable today…we got you. Equitable outrage. Our destinies & freedoms are tied. https://t.co/xwHQDX7UG2
— Ayanna Pressley (@AyannaPressley) August 31, 2019
Elijah Schaffer with The Blaze tweeted out videos of protesters resisting orders to leave. Watch the videos in the tweets below and decide for yourself what you think.
SEE TWEET FROM @ElijahSchaffer BELOW:
? BREAKING ? Boston Pride Parade protestors are resisting police orders to leave
— Elijah Schaffer (@ElijahSchaffer) August 31, 2019
Here you see one antifa medic push back on police and get tackled to the ground and arrested, literally drug out pic.twitter.com/kiyW0ErFxO
?ALERT? Boston Antifa threatened me w/ assault, threw liquid on me, called me a N*zi, & refused to engage in civil dialogue.
— Elijah Schaffer (@ElijahSchaffer) September 1, 2019
They tried to form a mob around my crew, but we don’t play childish games. It’s hard to convince people you’re against fascism when u use their tactics pic.twitter.com/RDR8Tf9lEn
One Twitter user who was apparently at the parade to protest tweeted a couple of pictures, one of burning American flags captioned; “thank you comrades”
SEE TWEET FROM @socialistdogmom BELOW:
thank you, comrades pic.twitter.com/dZBlwC5Dzj
— molly ? (@socialistdogmom) August 31, 2019
Boston Pride was also not happy about this parade and shot off three tweets expressing their thoughts. As you can see by their statements, AOC is not the only one saying that the parade was a white supremacist movement. You can check them out below.
SEE TWEET FROM @bostonpride BELOW:
It has become increasingly clear that the Straight Pride Parade is organized by a group of white supremacists and is an attempt to bait the Boston LGBTQ community, as well as racial and ethnic minority communities in Boston.
— Boston Pride (@bostonpride) August 27, 2019
Boston Pride will continue to focus on supporting and empowering members of the LGBTQ community. We will continue to focus on the needs of people of color, trans individuals, and all those who have experienced racism, xenophobia, and sexism.
— Boston Pride (@bostonpride) August 27, 2019
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