Police in a Maryland suburb of Washington, D.C., had to intervene when violent Proud Boys tried to force themselves into a Drag Queen Story Hour event at a bookstore. Families with small children had assembled at Loyalty Books in Silver Spring to enjoy a Drag Queen Story Hour event a few days ago. Outside, far-right protesters came to demonstrate against it.
One person suffered a facial injury during the standoff between the Proud Boys and LGBTQ+ supporters. Meanwhile, a counterprotest shielding the bookstore’s entrance with colorful umbrellas and pride flags prevented any children from being hurt, and the event inside went on as planned.
Protesters yelled anti-LGBT+ slurs and accused counterprotesters from the Parasol Patrol DMV group, of being “groomers.”
In addition to carrying rainbow umbrellas to obscure the signs to the children at the event, Parasol Patrol members played music and sang songs to drown out protesters’ jeering.
Montgomery County Councilmember Kristin Mink said the situation escalated when Proud Boys kicked, punched, and shoved people. Mink herself was kicked.
The far-right and some Republican politicians falsely demonize drag queens, transgender people, and other members of the LGBTQ+ community as “groomers.” Drag Queen Story Hours have become targets of these far-right extremists.
