Texas Public Radio reports:
Several dozen demonstrators gathered outside the Aztec Theatre in downtown San Antonio on Tuesday night. Some were there to condemn the holiday themed drag show scheduled to take place inside, and others were there to support the show. Some shouldered weapons.
Alongside them were armed San Antonio police officers, eyeing both sides as the crowds grew. The Texas-based far-right extremist group This is Texas Freedom Force led the demonstration. It said earlier that it was there over unsubstantiated claims regarding children.
This is Texas Freedom Force has been described as a “militia extremist group” by the FBI. Supporters of the LGBTQ community conducted a counter demonstration. Among them was Benjamin Clodfelter, a member of Veterans for Equality. He came armed with a rifle.
The San Antonio Report reports:
On Tuesday night some protesters could be heard shouting “pedophile!” and “groomer!” at the colorful crowd of counterprotesters and patrons lined up to go inside the theatre.
Shouts came from the other side: “the groomers are in your churches!” Other conservative groups, including the San Antonio Family Association and the Log Cabin Republicans of San Antonio, rallied their supporters to attend the protest.
The show, “A Drag Queen Christmas,” features at least one reference to alcohol, but does not include any nudity or sexually explicit acts, according to promotional material and videos of previous performances posted online.
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About 40 protesters, some with the group This is Texas Freedom Force, stood across St. Mary’s from the theatre. They have said they came to protest the all-ages drag show because it is inappropriate for children. https://t.co/MoEIuyqIzh
— San Antonio Report (@SAReport) December 14, 2022
San Antonio police officers are standing nearby the protests. pic.twitter.com/uDr2GF8xTn
— Joey Palacios – Texas Public Radio (@Joeycules) December 14, 2022
A look at both protests from a few minutes ago. pic.twitter.com/Q2O3Z3Yhlq
— Joey Palacios – Texas Public Radio (@Joeycules) December 14, 2022
A brief tense moment: This guy that came from the far-right side looked like he was trying to agitate someone else into a fight — I’m not exactly sure what started it but SAPD removed who appeared to be the instigator. @TPRNews pic.twitter.com/Qc0u9t86iB
— Joey Palacios – Texas Public Radio (@Joeycules) December 14, 2022
I spoke to The Queen Fantasia a moment ago who performs drag shows regularly in San Antonio. They said they came out tonight because “our community is under attack right now and if we are not the ones who show up in support of our own cause, then who will?”@TPRNews pic.twitter.com/4t0hBaJ7k9
— Joey Palacios – Texas Public Radio (@Joeycules) December 14, 2022
They have been a few small moments of aggression like this over the last 30 mins or so. Nothing major it seems. pic.twitter.com/L3z8o35q3F
— Joey Palacios – Texas Public Radio (@Joeycules) December 14, 2022
Due to the threat of armed TITFF members outside the drag show tonight (seen on the right), some LGBTQ supporters in San Antonio have decided to open carry in response (seen on the left). pic.twitter.com/PjrPW8ms39
— steven ”italian elon musk” monacelli (@stevanzetti) December 14, 2022
Here are a few more members of TITFF, who decided to open carry weapons alongside protesters who baselessly claim the drag show is promoting “wicked perversion” by “groomers and pedos. pic.twitter.com/DtRRaS160S
— steven ”italian elon musk” monacelli (@stevanzetti) December 14, 2022
One of the anti-LGBTQ protesters outside the drag show on San Antonio tonight is trying to proselytize his religious beliefs but I don’t think the other side can hear him. pic.twitter.com/r5W8MrWMuv
— steven ”italian elon musk” monacelli (@stevanzetti) December 14, 2022
At least two members of the neo-fascist group Patriot Front have made an appearance outside of the drag show here in San Antonio, Texas. They were also seen outside an LGBTQ event in Katy, Texas a few weeks ago. pic.twitter.com/sUMhKt4yR5
— steven ”italian elon musk” monacelli (@stevanzetti) December 14, 2022
Here’s a patch worn by a military veteran with Veterans for Equality, who decided he wanted to show up for LGBTQ rights today in opposition to the extremist militia protesting the drag show here in San Antonio, Texas. pic.twitter.com/sMDLI35avh
— steven ”italian elon musk” monacelli (@stevanzetti) December 14, 2022
Members of the far right activist group San Antonio Family Association, which opposes all forms of birth control, are also here protesting the drag show in San Antonio tonight. pic.twitter.com/MIM5kXCZLV
— steven ”italian elon musk” monacelli (@stevanzetti) December 14, 2022
“Forced to take up arms defending trans lives” reads one sign held by a pro-LGBTQ activist outside the drag show tonight in San Antonio. Across the street are armed members of a right wing extremist militia alongside members of the neo-fascist group Patriot Front. pic.twitter.com/MAKrqve8AW
— steven ”italian elon musk” monacelli (@stevanzetti) December 14, 2022
Despite the presence of armed protesters outside the drag show in San Antonio tonight, the pro-LGBTQ counter protest has basically become an open air party. pic.twitter.com/T1wtrUIr36
— steven ”italian elon musk” monacelli (@stevanzetti) December 14, 2022
One of the anti-LGBTQ protesters outside the drag show here in San Antonio claims that the pro-LGBTQ counterprotesters are paid by “George Soros” and then spreads an antisemitic conspiracy theory that Soros was a Nazi collaborator who turned in Jews during the Holocaust. pic.twitter.com/izVEpfZHnG
— steven ”italian elon musk” monacelli (@stevanzetti) December 14, 2022
This guy with an “Ultra MAGA” hat, who is ostensibly protesting a drag show because it’s too sexually explicit for children, is yelling things like “you’ve got a cock in your mouth” at the counterprotesters who are yelling things like “I fucked your dad” in return. pic.twitter.com/cunsaQs2Dw
— steven ”italian elon musk” monacelli (@stevanzetti) December 14, 2022
While filming some of the anti-LGBTQ protesters, I remarked that I don’t understand how they can say they’re protesting the sexualization of kids while using vulgar sexual phrases. One of them who isn’t doing that said he actually agreed with me. pic.twitter.com/8VSM9Gxuk8
— steven ”italian elon musk” monacelli (@stevanzetti) December 14, 2022
There’s a lot of conspiratorial thinking on display here at the anti-LGBTQ protest outside the drag show in San Antonio. I’ve heard about George Soros, “globalists,” and that the “trans agenda is a CIA psyop.” pic.twitter.com/0BpJAvvaAW
— steven ”italian elon musk” monacelli (@stevanzetti) December 14, 2022
In a development which will surprise exactly 0 people, the local Log Cabin Republicans chapter has joined the anti-drag show protest outside the Aztec Theatre in San Antonio. pic.twitter.com/DAVZwBE6Pj
— Tyler the ✨????????✨ ?️??️⚧️ (@TylerAlbertario) December 14, 2022