BREAKING NEWS: At least one person is injured as violence breaks out between parents and LGBTQ supporters at LA elementary school where Pride flag was burned
- Parents were seen clashing against LGBTQ protesters outside Saticoy Elementary School
- Anger has escalated due to a Pride assembly planned for Friday
- Back in March, an intruder broke into the school and set a rainbow flag on fire
At least one person has reportedly been injured after violence broke out between parents protesting outside an elementary school in Los Angeles.
Protestors were seen clashing outside Saticoy Elementary School in North Hollywood about an ongoing debate regarding a planned Pride event.
Parents were protesting the scheduled Pride assembly at the school on Friday, which they deemed 'inappropriate.'
Counter-protesters showed up to support the Pride event.
The scene became frantic as parents on both sides of the issue, as well as other protesters and counter-protesters, faced off while police looked on.
At least one person has been injured after violence broke out between parents outside an elementary school in Los Angeles
Footage posted on Twitter shows a man lying on the ground as protesters yell at him
The clash follows an ongoing debate regarding events celebrating Pride month at the school
The scene became frantic after parents on both side of the issue faced off as police looked on
A scrum breaks out in front of Saticoy Elementary School. #Saticoy #NorthHollywood pic.twitter.com/NbxafSrpnr
— Andrew J. Campa (@campadrenews) June 2, 2023
Aerial footage showed multiple punches been thrown during the chaotic demonstration.
According to a Twitter user at the scene, one person was unresponsive following a fight.
Footage posted by the Twitter user shows a man lying on the ground as protesters yell at him.
'He has to suffer!' a protester with a 'Leave our Kids Alone' shirt is heard saying.
Officers were on the scene to 'facilitate a peaceful and lawful exercise of constitutional rights,' the LAPD said on Twitter.
The clashes were the result of weeks of heated debates between parents who supported the Pride event and those who did not.
Parents set up an Instagram account on May 16 called 'saticoyelementaryparents' to protest against the school's planned Pride assembly where teachers were to read a Mary Hoffman book titled 'The Great Big Book of Families'.
The text talks about diversity and 'all kinds of families' including those with LGBTQ+ parents.
Parents opposing the event said the event was inappropriate for elementary school children.
Days after the account was created, various parents took their children out of a class which was being taught by a transgender substitute teacher, three school sources said.
The teacher is said to have previously worked at the school without any problems before the backlash over the Pride event.
'It was awful,' a staff member said. 'I get that people have freedom of speech and the ability to believe and have their own opinions, but when it directly results in affecting the livelihood of another person, it’s unconscionable.'
Parents were protesting a scheduled Pride assembly in the school on Friday, which they deemed 'inappropriate'
Counter-protesters showed up to support for the Pride event
Officers were on the scene to 'facilitate a peaceful and lawful exercise of constitutional rights,'
Protests outside at Saticoy Elementary School, Los Angeles where parents have shown up to speak out against a pride event on campus. pic.twitter.com/4nejrTcXdG
— Real Mac Report (@RealMacReport) June 2, 2023
Then, an intruder broke into the school and set a transgender teacher's Pride flag on fire.
The full-time teacher, who is a transgender man, discovered its remains in a plant pot which was also broken.
He was taken out of Saticoy Elementary School for his own safety, a source who wanted to remain anonymous said.
His image was taken down from the school's website but an image of the teacher before and after his transition was posted on Instagram pages used by parents against the Pride assembly.
'Here’s the special ed/3rd grade trans teacher (first pic as female, later male) at Saticoy Elementary who has made it a point to send message to [Armenian] kids about [Pride],' the post read.
One parent commented they knew he was transgender and that it never bothered anyone before.
'He has now decided to stir things up and make his private sexual business our kids,' they wrote.
The Los Angeles school district has stood by the event. saying it was meant to celebrate diversity.
