Violence erupts amid protest over California school board's Pride vote
A dispute between pro-and anti-LGBTQ+ protesters in Los Angeles County Tuesday evening turned violent, CBS News reports.
Opposing protesters clashed outside a Glendale Unified School District building where members were scheduled to vote on recognizing June as Pride month.
The same two groups protested outside a North Hollywood school last week over a Pride event that was being held on the Saticoy Elementary School campus.
The city of Glendale was bracing for the potential for violence, deploying around 50 officers for the protests.
School administrators said the protesters were not parents of students in the Glendale school district.
Around 200 people attended the protests, and police ordered the protesters to disperse and threatened to use non-lethal force to break up the demonstrations.
There were no reports of injuries.
KCAL reporter Mike Rogers posted video showing multiple brawls.
“The protest outside the Glendale Unified School Board meeting has turned violent, with protesters clashing,” Rogers tweeted.
“@GlendalePD trying to regain control now.”
The clashes come amid an ongoing battle around LGBTQ+ instruction in schools across the country.
California Gov. Gavin Newsom last week slammed a Riverside County official who called LGBTQ+ icon Harvey Milk a pedophile amid a debate at the Temecula Valley School Board meeting over banning a book about the California gay rights leader.
Newsom called Board President Dr. Joseph Komrosk “an ignorant person” over his comments.
“An offensive statement from an ignorant person,” Newsom tweeted.
“This isn’t Texas or Florida. In the Golden State, our kids have the freedom to learn. Congrats Mr. Komrosky you have our attention. Stay tuned.”
Watch the video below or click here.
\u201c#BREAKING: The protest outside the Glendale Unified School Board meeting has turned violent, with protesters clashing. @GlendalePD trying to regain control now. @RoadSageLA overhead in #SKYCAL. @kcalnews\u201d— Mike Rogers (@Mike Rogers) 1686100603