Protest against Pride Month turns violent outside Southern California school board meeting

Protesters briefly scuffled and punches flew Tuesday as a Southern California school district decided whether to recognize June as Pride Month.

Several hundred people gathered in the parking lot of the Glendale Unified School District headquarters, split between those who support or oppose educating students aboutLGBTQtopicsin schools.

Some opponents wore T-shirts emblazoned with: "Leave our kids alone."

Police quickly moved in to stop clashes, separated the two groups and cleared the parking lot.

TV reports also showed a man being taken away after lying down in the street and refusing to move.

In a newsrelease Tuesday evening, the Glendale Police Department said the protest was mostly peaceful but "a small group of individuals engaged in behaviour deemed unsafe and a risk to public safety" and at least three people were arrested on various charges, including unlawful use of pepper spray and willfully obstructing officers.

"After the initial arrests, additional attempts to de-escalate the crowd failed," the police newsrelease read. " Once the protest exceeded that bounds of peaceful assembly, a dispersal order was given just after 6:00 p.m."

Additional police officers were called in to assist with breaking up the protestand to ensure safety.No injuries were reported.

Later Tuesday night, inside apacked meeting room, the school board approveda resolution designating June asLGBTQPride Month,for the fifth year in a row.

However, most of those who addressed the school board discussed broader issues of how sex and gender are handled under district policy, with supporters arguing that LGBTQchildren need to feel safe and included in classrooms while opponents contended that schools are usurping parental authority and pushing unnecessary and even harmful views on gender.

In an earlier statement, the district said "intentional and harmful disinformation has been circulating about what is being taught" and said it follows state law and education policies.

WATCH| Ontario Catholic school board votes against flying Pride flag:

Catholic school board votes against flying the pride flag

1 year ago

Duration 2:09

Ontario's York Catholic District School Board has voted against flying the pride flag at its Catholic Education Centre in June. Debate over the issue has raged for months, with police being called to board meetings several times.

Tensions over LGBTQ rights nationwide

Across the nation, Pride Month celebrations are kicking off amid rising backlash in some places against LGBTQrights.

Community parade organizers, school districts and even professional sports terms have faced protests for flying rainbow flags and honouring drag performers.

While some Republican-led states are limiting classroom conversations about gender and sexuality and banning gender-affirming care, some Democratic cities and states are seeking to expand LGBTQrights and to honour the community's contributions.

Earlier Tuesday, the Los Angeles Unified School District school board unanimously voted to recognize Pride Month.

The resolution also encouraged all schools in the nation's second-largest district to incorporate lessons on the LGBTQcommunity into the curriculum and affirmed a "commitment to creating a safe, welcoming, and inclusive learning environment for all LGBTQ+students, families, and staff members."

LISTEN| Fundamentalist Christian group joinsbacklash to LGBTQ rights in Canada:

Front Burner33:52Inside the fundamentalist Christian movement that wants to remake Canadian politics

Warning: This story contains anti-trans comments and deals with suicide.Today on Front Burner, CBC investigative reporter Jonathan Montpetit goes inside a fundamentalist Christian movement deeply conservative in its social values and radical in its ideas for reform one that came together in the pandemic, and has since joined the backlash to LGBTQ rights. You can read more on this story at cbc.ca/1.6793677This documentary was produced by Jonathan Montpetit and Julia Pagel at CBCs Audio Doc Unit. For transcripts of this series, please visit: https://www.cbc.ca/radio/frontburner/transcripts