“Straight Pride” March Ends in Violence After Clashes with Over 200 LGBTQ Protesters in California

During the brawl, police officers separated the protesters from the opposing group, but a physical conflict ensued when a member of the Proud Boys tried to elude the police and counter-demonstrators threw him bottles of water, reported The Modesto Bee.

The Modesto Police Department warned from its Facebook account in the morning that there was an “illegal gathering of protesters along McHenry Avenue” , warning citizens to stay away from the area.

Reports indicated that a firecracker exploded, setting fire to a bush near the abortion clinic, filling the scene with smoke.

In response to the conflict, police officers along with a tactical team arrived at the assembly in order to disperse the crowd and confronted counter-protesters, who were shot at with pepper balls.

“We have two armies that we face when we defend our rights: we have to deal with the police attacking us and we are about to have a second wave of right-wing extremists. We are afraid that they will attack us too,” said Odette Zapata, a protester opposed to the “Heterosexual Pride” group.

Three people were arrested for not “dispersing”. Two of them belong to the “Straight Pride” march and another was a counter-protester, Sharon Bear, spokeswoman for the Modesto police said.

In 550, a “Straight Pride” march that was organized by the same group also ended in violence. Proud Boys members along with other protesters confronted counter-protesters outside the Modesto Planned Parenthood building. Two people were arrested on minor charges.

With information from the New York Post