Park Police attack Counterprotesters disrupting a TERF (anti-trans) rally
Video-Park Police attack counterprotesters, breaking promise to leave them alone if they moved back 1 min 11 sec
On the 7th of November, infamous anti-trans activist Kellie-Jay Keen showed up in DC as part of her nationwide tour. Things got UGLY in DC. Park Police first demanded pro-trans activists move to a nearby spot, then attacked them and arrested one of them anyway for unknown reasons.
The arrest and the charges filed were so spurious that the entire case was no-papered. This is another example of blatantly unlawful, "you can beat the rap, but you can't beat the ride" policing. One of the cops running to the scene PUT HIS HAND ON HIS GUN. He dared not pull it out. One of the most aggressive cops other than this one was Ofc Williams, badge number 647. Just getting him to comply with his legal obligation to produce his badge number required pursuit and active engagement by protesters.
The basic tactic applied by pro-transgender activsts to disrupting the hate speeches at the Lincoln Memorial was the same as that used on June 23. On that day, "Christian" speakers having no connection to athletics held an event at Pershing Park demanding trans women be excluded from sports. Activists got as close as cops would tolerate them, running bullhorns in siren mode and other noisemakers as loud as possible.
Kellie-Jay Keen has been widely called a TERF ("Trans Exclusionary Radical Feminist") but not much radical feminist in her as she appeared in Miami two days earlier along with three Proud Boys and two hired security guards. She has a history of working with far-right elements, Proud Boys included. Her Miami appearance was an epic fail, with a turnout of just 15 people including herself, the three Proud Boys, two hired security guards, and nine others. S Fl antifascist activists quietly monitored that situation.
Her "USA Speaker's Corner Tour" not over, if matters continue to escalate as they did from what happened in Miami to what happened in DC, this could get even uglier. There have already been Proud Boys in Miami, and a DC Park Cop unlawfully brandishing a firearm by putting his hand on it while engaged in a conflict. Something about TERF events seems ironically enough to bring out bigoted, testosterone-overdosed meatheads with more brawn than brains on the side of the anti-trans activists.