Maryland Police Let Proud Boys Beat Parasol Patrol at Drag Queen Event

LGBTQ parents and children left to defend themselves against racist, antisemitic thugs

Warning: this story contains descriptions and photos of violence, homophobic / transphobic slurs, and photos of sexually graphic homophobic / transphobic posters.

LGBTQ people everywhere are scared, seriously frightened, as police show us they will not protect us

Bisexual, transgender and gay people live with so much fear today because we know power structures are rigged against us. If I weren’t already writing this story, I’d be focusing on one I learned about this morning: A public school in Pennsylvania knowingly allowed extreme homophobic bullying of a gay teen to the point that he killed himself — and then the school allowed written gay slurs about the teen even after he died.

Stay tuned for my coverage, because what’s happening inside that school is heartbreaking and infuriating.

My story today is infuriating too. It’s about Proud Boys in very liberal Silver Springs, Maryland showing up at a bookstore last Saturday to stop families from entering to hear a drag queen read stories to children.

But that’s not the most infuriating part.

My story is also about those Proud Boys screaming obscenities at children and parents. It’s about the Proud Boys pushing, kicking, and punching people in the face hard enough to draw blood.

That’s not the most infuriating part either.

My story is about a group called the Parasol Patrol lining up with rainbow umbrellas to shield the children from sexually graphic images Proud Boys were thrusting into their faces.

Even that’s not the most infuriating part.

What is? Check out the photo below:

The most infuriating part is those police officers in the background

They’re watching the Proud Boys punch and kick. They’re watching Parasol Patrol members bleed. Guess what those cops are doing to protect families trying to get inside the bookstore?

If you guessed “Not a damn thing,” then bingo, you win the totally unsurprising door prize!

Those cops just stood there.

They witnessed criminal assault and didn’t lift a finger. Not only did the cops not try to prevent assault, they made zero arrests and recommended zero criminal charges in the face of assault they witnessed and that onlookers documented with video and photos.

Those cops left it to the nonviolent Parasol Patrol to shield children with umbrellas. Then the cops stood by as the Proud Boys beat the protectors who were doing the cops’ actual jobs.

So much for police protecting and serving, I guess.

That’s law enforcement works in the United States. The police exist to protect and serve the privileged and the powerful, not the marginalized or different. Maybe you disagree with that, reader, but if you’re queer, Black, Latino or an immigrant, I bet you feel what I’m saying in your bones.

If you feel yourself disagreeing with me, please check out this next photo:

This is just one of several sexually graphic posters the Proud Boys tried to thrust into children’s faces as they screamed that parents were sexually abusing their own children.

Want a good summary of events? Here’s a statement from Loyalty Bookstore, the queer, Asian-owned business that hosted the story hour:

Yesterday afternoon Loyalty came under attack from hate groups who tried to force their way into our store during a Drag Queen Story Hour with physical violence. The incredible Parasol Patrol and the MoCo chapter of Drag Story Hour did wonders to not only push back and hold the safe space, but to keep cheering and singing joyfully in the face of hate speech and disgusting threats. Because of their efforts the children inside the store got to enjoy doing the Hokey Pokey, hearing beautiful books read aloud, basking in the presence of the wonderful Char Chateau. They did not have to hear about bodily mutilation, or listen to the slurs and the unhinged, graphic accusations. We are incredibly grateful to the volunteers and our wonderful Drag Queen for focusing on joy and safety.

Contrast what was going on outside the store with what was happening inside:

These are the children the Proud Boys were screaming at. These are the children the Parasol Patrol shielded with rainbow umbrellas and their own bodies. These are the children Montgomery County cops didn’t lift a finger to protect.

Oh, and the drag queen?

Does Char Chateau in any way resemble the sexually explicit images on the Proud Boy posters? Of course not. Drag queens exist as leering sexual predators only in the fever dreams of white supremacists, antisemites, and Christian nationalists like the Proud Boys.

Who are the Proud Boys? Are they really racists and neo-Nazis?

The Proud Boys are unapologetic white supremacists and proudly antisemitic, according to the Southern Poverty Law Center. PB leaders and rank-and-file members frequently signal support for overt neo-Nazi groups, who signal their support right back, every time.

Think neo-Nazis aren’t an open threat in the 21st century? Read this story by my friends at theOUTfront, detailing how neo-Nazis demonstrated outside a Broadway theater on Tuesday, harassing audience members lined up to see the first preview performance of Parade, a musical about the true story of the 1915 false conviction and murder of a Jewish man named Leo Frank.

“Just so it’s clear who the Proud Boys are:” tweeted Montgomery County Councilor Kristin Minik on Tuesday, “white nationalist violent extremists, named a terrorist entity by Canada & NZ. They came to scare children so that our community will stop openly supporting the LGBTQ community. They failed. They will only make us louder & prouder.”

The Parasol Patrol are not counter protestors

Minik is working to hold the Montgomery County Police Department accountable. The department have issued misleading press statements suggesting the Parasol Patrol are counter-protestors, implying cops that day were simply trying to maintain neutrality between two equivalent groups.

In fact, says Minik, the nonviolent Patrol were part of the event and will remain so for future Montgomery County drag queen events. Parasol members were not at the story hour to protest or engage with the Proud Boys. They sang songs, shielded small children from obscenity with umbrellas, and put their bodies between families and violence — all without engaging in any violence of their own, either physical or verbal.

Minik reports that she has met with Montgomery County Police Chief Marcus Jones, saying he offered assurances that his cops will protect patrons at future drag queen story events scheduled for this weekend in the DC metro area.

I applaud Minik, and I hope Chief Jones keeps his word, but I’m not holding my breath. After all, we’re talking about cops who stood by and did nothing as Proud Boys screamed at children and bloodied the people protecting those children.

I can’t imagine the calloused depravity of police officers capable of that sort of dereliction of duty. I can’t imagine they’ll just change their stripes. I fear that the brutal conservative culture that pervades police departments will ensure cops tolerate more violence against queer people.

I pray I’m wrong.

Thanks to Counselor Minik, cops in Maryland this weekend will know that eyes are on them, will know that decent, loving people are watching them like hawks, will not tolerate further moral depravity from Montgomery County police officers— even if their sympathies are actually with the Proud Boys, as they seemed to be on Saturday.

Kristin Minik is a fierce LGBTQ ally, but you don’t have to pursue a career in politics to fight with her for your queer friends and loved ones

Does the anti-LGBTQ backlash in the US and the UK anger you? Are you tired of racists, neo-Nazis and Christian nationalists pushing agendas of fear and hate?

Are you tired of cops siding with and aiding hateful bigots like the Proud Boys?

You can help, no matter who you are, by joining me in daily public solidarity. Click here or click the image below to learn about a campaign to express your daily support for love and human decency.

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