Members of far-right hate group the Proud Boys attempted to disrupt another Pride month event over the weekend in Texas.
This time, however, they were met with a large group of pro-LGBTQ counter-protesters who held up signs to block them from view and cheered to drown out their hateful taunts as families entered and exited the Roy and Helen Hall Memorial Library in McKinney, Texas.
Related: Masked Proud Boys terrorize kids at library Pride event as cops gave them fist bumps
Outside the library where a special Pride-themed Family Story Time event was taking place, members of the Proud Boys gathered along with pro-Trump protesters and members of the hate group the Three Percenters. Counter-protesters formed a corridor that families could pass through to get into the library safely.
Never Miss a Beat
Subscribe to our newsletter to stay ahead of the latest LGBTQ+ political news and insights.
“The word went out on the internet…and people showed up,” historian Michael Phillips told BuzzFeed News. “It was pretty well organized to make sure that the families bringing their children to this event weren’t harassed, weren’t harangued — basically to form a human shield.”
Inspiring photo from @MamaOsaTX showing the wall of parents who kept a fascistic street gang from disrupting an LGBT Pride month themed family story time event in McKinney, Texas. pic.twitter.com/v7oHlTwcg1
— steven monacelli (@stevanzetti) June 26, 2022
“They started kind of saying different things, calling us groomers, pedophiles. They were fat-shaming people, they were calling other women whores and just horrible things,” one counter-protester said. “You could tell that they wanted to incite some type of violence. They just wanted to make us get angry so they could have something to use against us.”
Members of the Proud Boys wore the group’s signature black and yellow polo shirt along with masks from convenience store chain Buc-ees. They reportedly work tactical gear and were armed with bear mace.
Police made no arrests, though they did issue one citation for assault after one protester pushed another.
EXCLUSIVE: a group of armed Proud Boys assaulted at least one activist outside of an LGBTQ Pride family story time event at the public library in McKinney, Texas, per this video. A wall of activists and parents blocked the Proud Boys from entering and disrupting the event. pic.twitter.com/3fBluv3Fyu
— steven monacelli (@stevanzetti) June 26, 2022
More than one parent who attended the event pointed out that despite recent anti-gay rhetoric from the right, it was actually the LGBTQ community and allies who protected kids from the often-violent Proud Boys.
“There were protesters there that held up signs about protecting kids, but it was members of the LGBTQ community and allies that shielded my brown boys from these hate groups,” said Kathryn Vargas. “They were the actual targets on Saturday. And yet, they absolutely would not flinch when hatred stared at them.”
My 3 small CHILDREN and I had to be escorted to our car for our safety leaving the LIBRARY because #WhiteSupremacy groups showed up. Grateful to #LGBTQ community members and allies who out numbered them 5 to 1 so that at least my younger two kids couldn’t see anything but love https://t.co/a04Pie95dd
— Kathryn (@MamaOsaTX) June 25, 2022
A Proud Boys member reportedly armed with a gun also disrupted a Drag Queen Story Hour event in Nevada on Sunday afternoon. Earlier this month, members of the hate group stormed a Drag Queen Story Hour at the San Lorenzo Library in California and another Pride Story Time event in Wilmington, North Carolina, reportedly with the support of local police.
Far-right groups have been targeting family-friendly Pride events all month, instigated in part by anti-LGBTQ social media disinformation and right-wing media rhetoric accusing the LGBTQ community and its allies of “grooming” children for abuse.
