Counter-protesters outnumber Straight Pride Parade participants; more than 30 people arrested
Mon. September 2, 2019 3:30 PM by Carlos Santoscoy
Boston, MA -
More than 30 people were arrested and 4 officers hurt during Saturday's Straight Pride Parade in Boston.
Counter-protesters drowned out parade participants as they made their way from Copley Square to City Hall Plaza, where they held an event featuring openly gay conservative Milo Yiannopoulos, a former Breitbart News editor famous for mocking liberals. The group Super Happy Fun America organized the parade, which followed the same route as Boston's annual LGBT Pride parade.
Local ABC affiliate WCVB reported that 36 people were arrested but did not disclose whether those arrested were paradegoers or counter-protesters.
John Hugo, president of Super Happy Fun America, has previously insisted that his group doesn't "hate anyone."
"We don't hate anyone, we just want to have our own celebration just like everybody else has a right to," Hugo said. "All people from all communities are welcome as long as they show respect."
The parade kicked off with a large Trump 2020 float and counter-protesters said that they spotted people marching wearing Nazi tattoos.
"There's more LGBT people here supporting the rally against this march than there are straight people," a counter-protester told WCVB.
The outlet described the crowd size at City Hall Plaza as in the hundreds. It said counter-protesters numbered in the thousands.
Counter-protesters drowned out parade participants as they made their way from Copley Square to City Hall Plaza, where they held an event featuring openly gay conservative Milo Yiannopoulos, a former Breitbart News editor famous for mocking liberals. The group Super Happy Fun America organized the parade, which followed the same route as Boston's annual LGBT Pride parade.
Local ABC affiliate WCVB reported that 36 people were arrested but did not disclose whether those arrested were paradegoers or counter-protesters.
John Hugo, president of Super Happy Fun America, has previously insisted that his group doesn't "hate anyone."
"We don't hate anyone, we just want to have our own celebration just like everybody else has a right to," Hugo said. "All people from all communities are welcome as long as they show respect."
The parade kicked off with a large Trump 2020 float and counter-protesters said that they spotted people marching wearing Nazi tattoos.
"There's more LGBT people here supporting the rally against this march than there are straight people," a counter-protester told WCVB.
The outlet described the crowd size at City Hall Plaza as in the hundreds. It said counter-protesters numbered in the thousands.
Article provided in partnership with On Top Magazine