Security Increased at Pride Events Across US

In the aftermath of the arrest of 31 members of the hate group known as Patriot Front who intended to riot at an Idaho Pride festival, LGBTQ+ organizations across the country have urgently increased the presence of security personnel at parades and celebrations across the US.

Leading up to the annual June celebration of Pride, the LGBTQ community has been relentlessly targeted by high profile lawmakers in many US States. Florida’s notorious “Don’t Say Gay” bill and legislation in Texas, Ohio, Kansas, Arkansas, Alabama and more than a dozen others aim to ostracize and alienate LGBTQ Americans from society by tactically imply the community is one of groomers, pedophiles and present a threat to children- with some of these heinous accusations coming from sitting members of government.

The increased hostility toward the queer community has resulted in those responsible for organizing Pride events to heighten the security presence at their events fearing another effort to incite a riot or incur harm upon those attending the month-long festivities by any number of radicalized hate groups that have sprouted up and been emboldened by far-right rhetoric from elected officials.

On June 11th, in another effort to provoke conflict, the extremist hate group known as the Proud Boys “stormed” a library in San Lorenzo, California, that was hosting a Drag Queen story hour for children. Gaining access to the library parlor where Drag Performer Panda Duce was preparing to read to local children, the…