'Leave Our Kids Alone' protesters and LGBTQ activists clash outside Los Angeles Unified School District HQ as parents demand to be told if their child changes gender: Three arrested
By Alex Hammer For Dailymail.Com Updated: 15:21 24 Aug 2023
- Billed as dueling strikes, the processions saw hundreds from Leave Our Kids Alone and a LGBTQ group march on the intersection of Third Street and Beaudry
- What ensued was a clash reminiscent of other protests involving the relatively new, increasingly radical parental rights group, which surfaced back in June
- It has since made a point of sending their supporters to school meetings across the state, already doing so this outside meetings in Glendale and Hollywood
A mass brawl broke out between two opposing groups outside Los Angeles' Unified School District Tuesday - leading to three arrests.
A pro-LGBTQ group clashed with a parental rights group over requiring schools to notify parents if their child identifies as transgender.
Billed as dueling strikes, it saw hundreds from both parties - Leave Our Kids Alone and Ground Game LA - march on the school district's headquarters.
It comes after similar protests from the parental rights group, where theyclashed with LGBTQ activists outside schools across Los Angeles.
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It remains unclear whether those arrested - identified as Linda Daitsman, 46, from Los Angeles, Robert Maxie, 23, from Los Angeles, and Gordon Shiva, 49, from Beverly Hills - were part of either protest group, but a post on Leave Our Kids Alone's social media showed how it called on its followers to attend the 10am rally.
'Calling all California parents to stand United and rally for our kids,' the post, published last week, read, as the group continues to fight against what it views as secretive and even predatory practices by the district.
'Whether it's the school boards or Sacramento in their attempts to indoctrinate kids and separate them from families – parents have had enough,' the increasingly radical and oft-violent group wrote, of its previous excursions outside local school boards.
More than 200 heeded the call - which would come in conflict with another aired just days later by Ground Game LA and likeminded group Queer Nation Los Angeles.
The countercall made it clear the LGBTQ coalition opposed LOKA's proposed parental-notification policies, on the basis that they can put LGBTQ+ students at risk if their families are not accepting of their gender identity.
A monumental clash a few hundred feet from LA's City Hall followed, in which members of the parental group proudly waved American flags and signs with pro parental rights slogans, while egging the markedly smaller group on.
Reporters on the scene captured several instances of members of both groups jawing at each other - with those aligned with LOKA heard shouting accusations of 'sexualization' and 'grooming' at their progressive counterparts.
The incidents became so widespread and volatile that skirmish lines had to be drawn to separate the two parties up by cops who responded to the scene - which aerial photos show at that point had been completely overrun with hundreds of people.
More than 200 heeded the call - which would come in conflict with another aired just days later by Ground Game LA and likeminded group Queer Nation Los Angeles. The groups went on to clash around 10am Tuesday morningWaging the counter protest were members of a LGBTQ group that had gathered in support of policies currently in place in public schools, which allows staffers to use their discretion when sharing certain information involving kids' sexual orientation and gender identity with parentsIt remains unclears were part of either protest group, but a post on Leave Our Kids Alone's social media showed how it called on its followers to attend the 10am rallyReporters on the scene captured several instances of members of both groups jawing at each other across police made skirmish line - with those aligned with LOKA heard shouting accusations of 'sexualization' and 'grooming' at their progressive counterpartsThe incidents became so widespread and volatile that skirmish lines had to be drawn to separate the two parties up by cops who responded to the scene - which aerial photos show at that point had been completely overrun with hundreds of peopleWhat ensued was a clash reminiscent of other protests involving the relatively new parental rights group, which surfaced on social media in June and has since made a point of sending their supporters to school-related meetings across the stateOne of three arrested during the unrest is seen being led away by cops here. All were charged with failing to heed officers' dispersal order, and all have since been released on $5,000 bailReports from the scene before the crowd was eventually dispersed around noon indicated that two of the arrests happened as cops attempted to push the LGBTQ protesters back from the skirmish line
Reports from the scene before the crowd was eventually dispersed around noon indicated that two of the arrests happened as cops attempted to push the LGBTQ protesters back from the skirmish line.
DailyMail.com has reached out to the LAPD for more information about those arrested - one of whom, in Daitsman, previously had ties to a Marxist political group based out of Peru. Another, according to LAPD lockup records, is black.
All three were cuffed on misdemeanor failure to disperse, after refusing riot-gear-clad officers orders to leave the site. Each were held on $5,000 bail, records show, and have since been released.
LAPD issued this statement in the wake of the dustup, which was livestreamed by many on social media and threatened to devolve into a full-blown riot at points.
'Los Angeles Unified will never shy away from being an inclusive environment for all, a spokesperson said in a statement Friday that appeared to decry the parental group - which is quickly earning a reputation amongst law enforcement across the state.
'Every student in the District deserves to be treated with dignity, respect and care and have their entire self celebrated and accepted,' it continued.
'We will never abdicate our responsibility of providing a safe and welcoming environment for every student, family, employee or community member that walks through our doors.'
It went on to reiterate the department's devotion to laws currently in place in all California public schools that allow teachers to keep student's preferred gender identity secret: 'The District follows state laws and state approved curriculum that reflects and embraces the experiences and backgrounds of our diverse community.
'However, the District will always and unequivocally provide additional resources and support for every student, including those experiencing gender dysphoria and questioning their sexual orientation, and will respect whatever decision a student and their family determines.'
The statement made no mention of the increasingly problematic parental group, which in recent months has become an all too familiar sight at California school board meetings.
Based in the belief that parents should have more control over school curriculums, the group first rose to prominence this summer, after a group of parents flocked too social media and distributed flyers to advertise a protest outside a June 2 LGBTQ+ Pride event at Saticoy Elementary School in North Hollywood.
Days later, the group clashed with Glendale Police and LGBTQ supporters outside a meeting of the Glendale Unified School Board, during which organized discussed LGBTQ+ studies and the district's polices on addressing LGBTQ-related issues.
The incident was eerily similar to one involving the group - which first surfaced in June - earlier this summer, in which members of the group clashed with Glendale Police and LGBTQ supporters outside a meeting of that city's school boardAs was the case the recent incident ended up violent, and saw several cuffed by cops - with more than 50 responding to the scene. The group previously attended school board meetings in Temecula, Murietta Valley, Orange County and Chino protesting for polices that would forcibly ‘Out’ LGBTQ+ kids and also remove LGBTQ+ materials from classrooms
The dueling processions, in that instance, resulted in more than 50 riot gear-dressed officers attempting to keep the group's separated - in an encounter where punches were thrown and members of both sides engaged in physical assaults.
A spokesperson for the department, which is also located in LA county, confirmed that it has since made 'some' arrests in relation to the blowup, but refused to offer additional details.
As for the recent incident, speakers for the newly surfaced parental group were heard shouting things like 'We're here to tell the government we don't want the school teaching our kids ideologies,' and 'We definitely don't want the schools to hide stuff from parents and that's exactly what's going on in California.'
The group previously attended school board meetings in Temecula, Murietta Valley, Orange County and Chino protesting polices that would forcibly 'Out' LGBTQ+ kids and remove LGBTQ materials from classrooms.
They have amassed thousand of supporters on social media as a result. DailyMail.com has reached out to the LAPD for more information about the incident.
