Physical Brawl Erupts Over LGTBQ Rights Outside Calif. School as Board Meeting Votes on Pride

The Glendale Police Department said a small group of individuals engaged in behavior deemed unsafe and a risk to public safety” during the protests

A protest over LGBTQ+ pride month recognition outside of the Glendale Unified School District Headquarters turned violent leading to three arrests, according to the Glendale Police Department.

Several pro-and anti-LGBTQ+ demonstrators descended on the headquarters as the Glendale Unified School District board brought up an agenda item calling for recognition of June as Pride Month on Tuesday.

Police said in a statement that while most of the protest “was peaceful,” there were “ a small group of individuals” that “engaged in behavior deemed unsafe and a risk to public safety.” In order to de-escalate the situation, police arrested three people on various charges including unlawful use of pepper spray and obstructing officers while carrying out their duties.

“After the initial arrests, additional attempts to de-escalate the crowd failed,” police said in a statement. This led them to give out a “dispersal order” for the protestors to leave after around 6 p.m., and they also brought in additional resources to ensure the community's "safety."

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The brawls outside cut short the public comment portion of the agenda item — which had mostly been positive in recognizing pride month — when a shelter-in-place order was given, per the L.A. Times.

Police also cut off additional speakers from entering the building and installed a yellow wire barrier near the building’s entrance after the meeting began, per the outlet.

After videos of the protest were shared online, some criticized the violence outside the school, including democratic Rep. Adam B. Schiff, who represents Burbank where the school district is located.

“These continued acts of violence and hate towards our LGBTQ community — especially towards students, parents, and teachers — are horrific,” he tweeted. “All of our children deserve to both feel safe and be safe regardless of who they love or how they identify. We will not go back. We will not apologize for celebrating the strength and the diversity of our LGBTQ community."

Related: What to Know About Florida's Controversial New Bill Banning LGBTQ Topics in Schools

The Glendale Unified School District board ultimately unanimously voted to recognize June as pride month, four years after the Glendale Unified School District initially called for the recognition.

“This is part of our efforts to ensure that every person who enters our schools feels safe, feels seen, feels heard and valued,” board President Nahabedian reportedly said at the meeting before the vote.

The Glendale Unified School District also released a statement and FAQ about its LGBTQ+ curriculum after the board meeting, saying it intended to dispel misinformation being spread around.

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“Recently, intentional and harmful disinformation has been circulating about what is being taught in our district and the ways we serve our students,” the Glendale Unified School District said in a statement to the L.A. Times. “This includes disinformation about LGBTQIA+ curriculum, sex education, and supporting transgender and gender nonconforming youth.”

Items in the FAQ included information on California state law, which requires that schools provide students with a “safe, supportive and inclusive learning environment.”

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