A “straight pride” rally organized by self-proclaimed “racist group” the National Straight Pride Coalition, resulted in several altercations and three arrests yesterday in Modesto, California. The rally was held in front of a Planned Parenthood and was met with caravans of pro-choice & LGBTQ+ rights advocates that were there to protest the rally. Fights broke out, signs were reportedly used as clubs, bottles were thrown and a nearby shrub was set on fire.
About 250 people gathered for the rally and the counter protest. According to authorities, the three arrests were made on charges of failure to disperse. The “straight pride” event happened on Saturday morning in the area of McHenry Avenue and West Orangeburg Avenue. With altercations breaking out at around 11 a.m. leading to the rally to be declared an unlawful assembly by authorities. Modesto police in riot gear pushed back against counter protesters and fired pepper balls into the crowd.
The National Straight Alliance’s founder promised the Modesto City council that the protest would be calm in early August. “We’re a peaceful group, we wanted to have a meeting. We’re attacked as racist, we’re a totally peaceful racist group,” he said. The caravans of counter protesters reportedly included pro-choice and LGBTQ+ rights activists from all over California.
“Straight pride” events have been taking place around the country in recent years and organizers are often found to be linked to alt-right groups.