NBC News reports:
A so-called “Straight Pride Parade” in Boston on Saturday drew as many counterprotesters marches in addition to a heavy police presence.
The parade, which drew several dozen participants, kicked off at around noon to the sound of Lee Greenwood’s “God Bless the USA” with some floats displaying messages of support for President Donald Trump, with signs such as “build the wall,” “Trump nation” and “Blue Lives Matter.”
Since plans for the event were announced in early June, organizers have come under criticism. Some critics said that parade organizers are white supremacists whose intent was to bait members of the LGBT community in one of America’s most liberal cities.
The Washington Examiner reports:
Boston police donned riot gear in anticipation of potential violence, as the parade was expected to feature an appearance by conservative provocateur Milo Yiannopoulos, who was set to be the grand marshal and mascot for the parade.
The Proud Boys, a far-right group that often clashes with far-left antifa during demonstrations and gatherings, also made an appearance in Boston for the Saturday parade.
Yiannopoulos was first spotted shortly before 1 p.m. donning a glittering “Make America Great Again” hat. The parade began a short time after, and police began using physical force to maintain order as emotions on both sides ran high.
The Independent reports:
The organisers of a controversial “Straight Pride” rally are heavily linked with far-right movements and nationalist protests, it has emerged. Now questions have been raised over the past political activities of the trio of men behind the group, John Hugo, Mark Sahady and Chris Bartley.
Mr Sahady and Mr Bartley are both heavily associated with Resist Marxism – a loose ultra-conservative group found to have links to white supremacist organisations – while Mr Hugo ran, unsuccessfully, for congress in 2018 with an endorsement from the same group.
David here at the Boston Straight Pride Parade has been going on for the last 10 minutes ranting about how the Jews faked the holocaust, rule the world and created the LGBT movement to destroy America pic.twitter.com/awkkds7AAd
— Sam Bishop (@sebishop99) August 31, 2019
These two men traveled for 8 hours from Pennsylvania to Boston Straight Pride to represent the banned reddit subreddit /r/frenworld one is holding a pillow of Youtuber Sargon of Akkad pic.twitter.com/1i6HT8W8i1
— Sam Bishop (@sebishop99) August 31, 2019
One of the Boston Straight Pride Parade floats is a car with a piece of paper reading, Blue Lives Matter taped to it. pic.twitter.com/oZsaCCi8Ap
— Sam Bishop (@sebishop99) August 31, 2019
Steve Baldassari being interviewed by Blue Lives Matter News says he cane to the Boston Straight Pride Parade to remind people that this country is a Christian Nation and to help prevent gays from going to hell. He claims he can’t be a Nazi because his grandfather fought in WW2 pic.twitter.com/zqLCILqQxT
— Sam Bishop (@sebishop99) August 31, 2019
Boston Straight Pride is underway 100+ marchers and the sidewalk filled with protestors filled along the entire parade route. pic.twitter.com/pAym19Onok
— Sam Bishop (@sebishop99) August 31, 2019
Libertarian Presidental Candidate Vermin Supreme protesting Boston straight pride pic.twitter.com/NZOzV6X7qb
— Sam Bishop (@sebishop99) August 31, 2019
David the holocaust denier from earlier is following Vermin Supreme to ask if he is a Jewish Supremacist Vermin is visibly confused by the question. pic.twitter.com/flIDgxotEe
— Sam Bishop (@sebishop99) August 31, 2019
I’m live at the main location area for the Boston Straight Pride Parade pic.twitter.com/gHfi4bHPzN
— Sam Bishop (@sebishop99) August 31, 2019
Current State of Boston Straight Pride pic.twitter.com/ccsgijpE48
— Sam Bishop (@sebishop99) August 31, 2019
Current state of the counter protest. pic.twitter.com/8J3sMQgKQr
— Sam Bishop (@sebishop99) August 31, 2019
Boston Straight Pride is selling blue and pink “straight shirts” for $25 each. pic.twitter.com/JryFv77rfi
— Sam Bishop (@sebishop99) August 31, 2019
Boston Straight Pride about to begin with less then 20 people in attendance. At least 3 teens who are marching mention being opposed to the parade and are coming as a joke. pic.twitter.com/P05ZVL8c7u
— Sam Bishop (@sebishop99) August 31, 2019
SAME. ? #StraightPride #bospoli #mapoli pic.twitter.com/eG4Rzt1EpA
— Anti-Hurricane Nuclear Weapons Systems Officer (@chipgoines) August 31, 2019
doing god’s work and taking advantage of the fact that my room looks out at the straight pride parade 🙂 pic.twitter.com/vjW2hQ9piu
— nicole urban (@nickelurban) August 31, 2019
Tourists say they thought the “Straight Pride Parade” in Boston was a Trump rally #WCVB pic.twitter.com/n3YdXjK9sG
— John Atwater (@AtwaterWCVB) August 31, 2019
Currently straight pride parade is being outnumbered 100 to around 15 by a group of elderly tourists on the other side of the park. pic.twitter.com/et1nXbBLez
— Sam Bishop (@sebishop99) August 31, 2019
The “Straight Pride” parade is happening in Boston now pic.twitter.com/Nn06T1HxF6
— jordan (@JordanUhl) August 31, 2019
Shoutout to the people (presumably @EmersonCollege students) who did this outside the fascist Boston Straight pride parade route pic.twitter.com/S2jGRGPO8Q
— Sophie Hurwitz (@sophiehurwitz) August 31, 2019
I need y’all to see the turnout at Boston straight pride ???♂️ pic.twitter.com/T5j1MNF3MJ
— ? (@greGSimoneau) August 31, 2019
Since we all love crowd-size, as of 1:20pm – the folks up on the steps are Milo + #StraightPride‘s crowd…
…and the one after the pan to the right is OUR crowd ?? pic.twitter.com/6bLqUeHesW
— Bob Chipman (@the_moviebob) August 31, 2019
straight pride is literally just cops pic.twitter.com/uhM0wyTbM3
— The Bad Boy of Online (@yung_kropotkin) August 31, 2019
The “Straight Pride” parade. The streets are absolutely quiet on the sidelines, with counter-protesters silently recording them. There’s been a lot of talk about not feeding trolls so this isn’t that surprising. pic.twitter.com/e9vJDNV5QU
— Eliza Dewey (@ElizaDewey) August 31, 2019
Straight Pride Parade organizers aren’t having a great day. pic.twitter.com/EVKPfVoOI9
— ?????? ??????? (@lilsarg) August 31, 2019
Shameful Display by the @bostonpolice at #StraightPride
Charging into protestors who were protesting peacefully on the sidewalk, beating, arresting, and pepper spraying.
Make no mistake straight pride is hate pride and cops are here to protect and uphold white supremacy. pic.twitter.com/ey2Rc4uneA
— Ian (@deluxian54) August 31, 2019
Dystopian Scenes as the riot police are dispatched pic.twitter.com/j8SYb0cYFm
— Ian (@deluxian54) August 31, 2019