NYPD gives Proud Boys free subway rides after neo-fascist group disrupts Drag Story Hour in Queens: video
Members of far-right extremist group the Proud Boys got free rides on the city’s subway system last week — courtesy of the NYPD, a video of the incident shows.
The video clip, which appears to have been taken after members of the Proud Boys protested a Drag Story Hour event at a Queens library last Thursday, shows a group criticized as being white nationalists streaming through an open slam door at a Jackson Heights subway station — and a police officer telling the irate person who’s filming that the Proud Boys could ride gratis.
Only minutes earlier, the Proud Boys and supporters of the Drag Story Hour clashed, with police reporting that pepper spray was used by some of the people who gathered to protest and counter-protest the controversial event that features people dressed in drag reading books to children.
In a statement released Monday afternoon, the NYPD said that “to deescalate the situation and prevent further violence a decision was made to escort one group to the Jackson Heights subway station to remove the group from the area.”
“Due to the urgency and rapidly evolving situation, a determination was made to place the group on the subway and remove them from the area before the situation could escalate further,” the NYPD said.
In the video, which was posted to Twitter by @LipBrenna, at least three Proud Boys can be seen walking through the gate as someone asks repeatedly: “Proud Boys don’t have to pay for the fare?”
One member of the group then responds: “We’re special. Thank you. Appreciate it. From your taxes.”
The man, who was wearing a bandanna over his face and sporting a vest emblazoned with the words “Five Points NYC Proud Boys” and an image of the Statue of Liberty holding an assault rifle over her head, then flashes a thumbs up as he strolls through the open door.
A police officer with sergeant’s stripes on his jacket approaches the person filming in what appears to be an attempt to clear the area.
“Oh, I have to pay for the fare, but they don’t?” the videographer says to the cop. “Is that the situation you’re saying?”
“That is correct,” the officer responds as the clip ends.
The video, which was posted Sunday afternoon, quickly sparked outrage.
New York City Councilwoman Sandy Nurse described it as troubling, especially given how much it costs the city to enforce against farebeating.
“Whether it’s a de-escalation technique or not, it’s still symbolic,” she told the Daily News. “It doesn’t seem right. It doesn’t seem like our priorities are in place.”
Nurse said that the city pays anywhere between 100 and 250 private security guards about $10 million a month to prevent fare beating — an expenditure she doesn’t agree with. Still, she said, the NYPD allowing the Proud Boys to ride for free isn’t a good look for the police department, especially given the group’s role in the Jan. 6 insurrection at the U.S. Capitol.
“I guess it’s cool for homophobic white men who participated in a violent attempted coup against the nation to evade fares,” she said sarcastically on Twitter.
In October, one member of the Proud Boys from New Jersey, Shawn Price, pleaded guilty to interfering with law enforcement officers during a civil disorder, a charge related to the Jan. 6 capitol attack. Price served as vice president of his local Proud Boys chapter.
Five other Proud Boys are on trial for seditious conspiracy in Federal District Court in Washington, D.C.
While Proud Boys founder Gavin McInnes has denied the group is a white nationalist organization, the Southern Poverty Law Center, which tracks hate groups, notes that “rank-and-file Proud Boys and leaders regularly spout white nationalist memes and maintain affiliations with known extremists.” Brittanica also describes them as a “white nationalist organization.”
In an email to The News, McInnes argued that the Proud Boys “are not white nationalists,” but “are a multi-racial club.”
Members of the controversial group and other far-right organizations have been showing up in several cities to disrupt Drag Story Hour.
Conservatives have slammed the events as being too risque for kids, while progressives have typically supported it, contending that it’s innocent and an entertaining way to encourage literacy as well as acceptance.
Earlier last month, two people were arrested for breaking into the apartment building of City Councilman Erik Bottcher, who’s gay and supports Drag Story Hour.
On Monday, an NYPD spokesman said one person was arrested Thursday after the Proud Boys clashed with a larger group of Drag Story Hour supporters in Jackson Heights. John Curry, 32, of Queens, was charged with resisting arrest, disorderly conduct and obstructing governmental administration. The spokesperson did not say whether that person was affiliated with the Proud Boys or counterprotesters.
