A member of the far-right group the Proud Boys could be seen walking away from a Drag Queen Story Hour event in New York City with blood on his face as he claimed that he “came to help”.
The event was hosted by state Attorney General Letitia James in Manhattan on Sunday.
Supporters of the event chanted “f*** the Proud Boys” and “go back to Long Island” as one man who appeared to be a member of the Proud Boys left the area, saying “I came here to help, not get the s*** beat out of me,” according to footage obtained by Freedom News. He seemed to have blood on his face as he left the scene.
Another protester, who was wearing a mask to obscure his face, was detained by police at about 11.30am following an assault outside the LGBTQ Community Center in Greenwich Village, according to the New York Daily News.
He had been knocking things out of the hands of protesters and reporters, Freedom News reported.
Ultra-Orthodox Rabbis also protested the event. One man mentioned Communist leaders Vladimir Lenin and Josef Stalin, as well as Nazi leader Adolf Hitler when speaking to Freedom News.
“They took away our children,” he said.
A New York City councilmember who attended the event, Eric Bottcher, told the outlet he wanted to “thank all the supporters who came out today – so much support for this programme by the community and we are overwhelming their hate, with our love, support, and positivity”.
The small group of protesters appeared to be outnumbered by supporters of the programme, footage from the scene shows.
The masked man who was later arrested could be seen shaking barricades. He was spotted shoving cameras operated by journalists, and he also “slapped” an activist, a witness told the Daily News.
“There was at least one community member that was hit in the face,” the witness told the paper.
Members of the New York Assembly Tony Simone and Grace Lee also attended the event, as did the speaker of the New York City Council, Adrienne Adams, the president of the Manhattan borough Mark Levine, and council members Mr Bottcher, Shekar Krishnan, and Crystal Hudson.
A press release issued by the office of Ms James said almost 200 guests attended the event, which consisted of “four back-to-back Story Hours hosted by the Drag Kings, Queens, and Royalty of Drag Story Hour NYC”.
“The recent rise in anti-LGBTQ+ protests, rhetoric, and policies has left New Yorkers — myself included — devastated and disappointed. But I know better than anyone that when the choice is between love and hate, between joy and venom, New Yorkers will always choose love, and New Yorkers will always choose joy,” Ms James said in a statement.
“I am proud to have been joined by my colleagues in advocacy and government today in celebration of the love, joy, and family fun that Drag Story Hour brings to our communities. Hate has no home in New York, and I will always fight to ensure our LGBTQ+ siblings’ rights are upheld and defended,” she added.
The mayor of New York City, Eric Adams said in a statement that “drag storytellers, and the organizations that support them, are advancing a love of diversity, personal expression, and literacy that are core to what our city embraces”.
“Stories don’t just teach children to love reading, but help them understand people who are different,” Mr Adams said. “And at a time when our LGBTQ+ communities are under increased attack across this country, we must use stories to educate. The goal is not only for our children to be academically smart, but also emotionally intelligent. I thank Attorney General James for hosting this event that clearly says New York City is the place where you can be yourself and love who you want.”
New York State Senator Brad Hoylman-Sigal said, “my two young daughters have been going to Drag Queen Story Hour for years with their two dads. They like it for the simple reason that it’s fun and interesting — there’s nothing more complicated than that”.
“Those who are attempting to use Drag Queen Story Hour to stir up controversy and vitriol directed at the LGBTQ community and specifically drag artists should be ashamed of themselves. I appreciate Attorney General James for sponsoring this story hour at the LGBTQ Center and giving parents and kids the opportunity to be exposed to books,” he added.
