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'Straight Pride' Group Brawls With Pro-Choice Activists at Protest

Straight Pride members clashing with pro-choice counter-protesters.

Screengrab via Modesto Bee

Members of the far-right "straight pride" movement had planned the protest outside a Planned Parenthood clinic in California.

Christopher Wiggins

Christopher Wiggins is The Advocate’s senior national reporter in Washington, D.C., covering the intersection of public policy and politics with LGBTQ+ lives, including The White House, U.S. Congress, Supreme Court, and federal agencies. He has written multiple cover story profiles for The Advocate’s print magazine, profiling figures like Delaware Congresswoman Sarah McBride, longtime LGBTQ+ ally Vice President Kamala Harris, and ABC Good Morning America Weekend anchor Gio Benitez. Wiggins is committed to amplifying untold stories, especially as the second Trump administration’s policies impact LGBTQ+ (and particularly transgender) rights, and can be reached at christopher.wiggins@equalpride.com or on BlueSky at cwnewser.bsky.social; whistleblowers can securely contact him on Signal at cwdc.98.

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Christopher Wiggins

August 29 2022 12:07 PM EST

August 29 2022 9:22 PM EST

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Police used pepper ball guns to clear a clash between pro-choice and anti-choice activists outside a Planned Parenthood clinic in Modesto, Calif., on Saturday. Three people were arrested after counterprotesters descended on a "straight pride" event outside the clinic.

In one video posted by the director of the One People's Project, Daryle Lamont Jenkins, smoke grenades and glass bottles appear to have been thrown.

\u201cWe got shit going down at the opposition to the straight pride rally in Modesto, CA. Cops have just declared an unlawful assembly aftee the fash showed up.\u201d
— Daryle Lamont Jenkins (@Daryle Lamont Jenkins) 1661625054

"We got shit going down at the opposition to the straight pride rally in Modesto, CA. Cops have just declared an unlawful assembly afte[r] the fash showed up," he wrote.

Modesto Police had warned on Facebook earlier in the day, shortly before 10 a.m. local time, that the department was aware of and prepared for possible clashes.

However, less than 90 minutes later, at 11:17 a.m. PDT, Modesto Police announced that officers had declared an unlawful assembly and that officials were dispersing the crowd.

After being detained, one person was released, while three others were arrested, The Guardian reports.

The police noted a large number of counterprotesters at the demonstration, even though they were unable to identify those arrested immediately.

As soon as the rally began at 11 a.m., clashes broke out between rival groups.

In 2021, members of Super Happy Fun America participated in the attempted overthrow of the federal government at the U.S. Capitol after having posted pictures of their journey to the Trump-endorsed event.