BG On The Scene

Protesters gathered outside the Aztec Theatre in San Antonio, Texas on Tuesday night, demonstrating against ‘A Drag Queen Christmas’ event being held inside. The show, open to patrons of all ages, drew scrutiny from some amidst a wider backdrop of all-ages drag event protests across the United States. Protesters with the group ‘This is Texas Freedom Force’ called for protest outside the venue, and they and others gathered across the street from the theatre on Tuesday. A couple members of Patriot Front, the Log Cabin Republicans, and some religious individuals holding prayer also demonstrated against the event. Several protesters were also armed and open carrying at Tuesday’s demonstration. Supporters of the drag show event, roughly 4x in number compared to the protest group, rallied outside the venue across the street from protesters. Attendees included some armed members of the John Brown Gun Club, a pro-LGBTQ/antifascist group that also open carries at demonstrations. Both sides chanted, held speeches and traded criticisms of each other from across the street. San Antonio Police generally kept the groups separated, though a few isolated incidents of individuals crossing to the other side occurred before being quickly separated once again. No arrests or major incidents occurred throughout the night, with both sides remaining peaceful during the demonstrations. The drag show proceeded inside as planned, and let out around 10:30pm local time on Tuesday.

James O’Keefe, founder of Project Veritas, was met by protesters Saturday night while entering the New York Young Republican Club’s Annual Gala in Manhattan. No physical altercations occurred, and protesters were kept a short distance away by barricades and NYPD officers outside the venue. O’Keefe stopped to speak and interact with the group of around a dozen protesters for several minutes before heading into the gala.

Professional skateboarder Tony Hawk out at Detroit’s 2022 Thanksgiving Day Parade

Just over 6 months out from the deadly May tornado in Gaylord, a look at some of the reconstruction progress and damages still visible in the northern Michigan city

Melee and several arrests in NYC Monday afternoon as trans rights activists counter-protested a ‘Let Women Speak’ event being held outside City Hall. The ‘Let Women Speak’ tour, organized by British women’s rights activist Kellie-Jay Keen, drew controversy and frequent protests as it made its way across the U.S. this past month, with speeches critical of transgender women competing in women’s sports, gender ideology, puberty blockers and transgender surgeries for minors, and other issues that have been heated topics of debate this year. The ‘Let Women Speak’ demonstrators have voiced concerns that biological women are being ‘erased’ in the present environment. Counter-protesters have characterized the speakers as transphobic, and frequently describe speakers as ‘TERFs’, standing for ‘trans-exclusionary radical feminists’. Monday’s demonstration did not feature an appearance from Keen herself, after what she claims were police safety concerns for the New York event, the final slated stop on the U.S. tour. Other demonstrators, roughly a couple dozen in number, did assemble amidst a heavy police presence outside City Hall. Clashes began before the event’s scheduled 1 pm start time, with several dozen pro-trans counter-protesters assembling next to the speakers. Police attempted to separate the two groups, counter-protesters kicked and pushed against the barricades, leading to several melees with officers as they attempted to control the approaching crowd. At least 7 counter-protesters were arrested, and additional police officers continually arrived throughout the afternoon, boosting their numbers up to roughly 100 NYPD surrounding the event. The ‘Let Women Speak’ demonstrators held their event behind barricades, lines of NYPD officers and private security. The event lasted a little under two hours before the group was escorted to a nearby parking garage to depart. One counter-protester spit multiple times towards the LWS demonstrators, one of whom deployed pepper spray in response. Counter-protesters followed the group to the parking garage, noting license plate numbers as the demonstrators departed from behind lines of police separating the two groups.

Speaking with two members of the SDOA militia (Sons and Daughters of America), whose group was present outside the cancelled drag storytime event in Columbus, Ohio on Saturday. The group stated they were there over concerns of threats made against the event, which ultimately did not proceed after internal disputes over security arrangements by event organizers. Discussing their presence at the protests that did occur on Saturday, they indicated they were not there in protest of the drag storytime event, but rather in the interest of safety of participants and those present at the protests and counter-protests. Despite the event’s cancellation, Saturday’s demonstrations proceeded throughout the morning into early afternoon, with some heated exchanges between opposing groups, though without major incident or altercations. Topics discussed in this interview include how the militia was received by police, protesters and counter-protesters, whether the presence of an armed group escalated or de-escalated the situation, background and other community engagements SDOA has undertaken, and response to media coverage from the events in Columbus, Ohio on Saturday.

Members of nationalist group Patriot Front marched near the venue of a cancelled 'Holi-Drag Storytime' event in Columbus, Ohio on Saturday. The event was cancelled shortly before its scheduled start Saturday morning, with organizers citing disagreements over security and police arrangements as the reason for calling the event off. The Patriot Front group's arrival occurred a little over an hour after the scheduled start of the drag storytime, where Columbus Proud Boys were holding a demonstration outside First Unitarian Universalist Church and nearby along North High Street. Some of the Proud Boys accused the Patriot Front group of being federal agents upon their arrival, and ultimately the groups remained nearby but separate as demonstrations continued into the afternoon. Various groups then gathered down the street from the church along the busier North High Street, where a group of pro-LGBTQ and Black Lives Matter counter-protesters had also gathered in support of the event. Some verbal exchanges were made between opposing groups, though no major altercations occurred. All eventually dispersed early Saturday afternoon.

A Holi-Drag Storytime event was cancelled in Columbus, Ohio after Proud Boys announced plans to protest the event today. The drag storytime, billed as a kid-friendly event and set to be held at the First Unitarian Universalist Church, was cancelled shortly before it was set to take place Saturday morning. Proud Boys had announced protest plans weeks in advance, and despite initial assurances of event security by organizers, they ultimately opted not to hold the event at the church on Saturday. Dozens of Proud Boys showed up to protest where the event would have been held, with some traveling from out of state for the demonstration. Other groups including Patriot Front later joined the protest as well. An armed group in camo, identifying themselves as acting as peacekeepers, was present as demonstrations took place. Organizers had put out a request days in advance of the event (before cancellation) asking people not to counter-protest the Proud Boys. Ultimately, a handful did show up in counter-protest outside the church, though far fewer than the group of Proud Boys and others that protested the event. Some exchanges took place between opposing individuals, though no major altercations occurred. Demonstrators later made their way down towards a busier road a few blocks from the church, where several groups, including a larger section of counter-protesters, stood on either side of North High Street before eventually dispersing in the afternoon.

Full speech from former President Donald Trump’s November 15th, 2022 ‘Special Announcement’ at Mar-a-Lago, where he declared his candidacy for the 2024 presidential election.

Former President Donald Trump officially announced his candidacy for the 2024 presidential election on Tuesday night. A week after promoting an upcoming ‘Special Announcement’ for November 15th, Trump held an event in the Grand Ballroom of his Mar-a-Lago estate in Palm Beach, Florida. The announcement speech was attended by some immediate family members and roughly a thousand guests in total. Attendees included Barron Trump, Eric and Lara Trump, Kimberly Guilfoyle, Jared Kushner, Roger Stone, Mike Lindell and Jason Miller. Donald was joined by wife and former First Lady Melania Trump for his arrival to the ballroom. He gave a roughly one hour speech shortly after 9 pm, formally announcing his candidacy for President of the United States in the 2024 election.

After two and a half years of border restrictions, Canada has dropped all COVID-19 border and travel measures today, including requiring use of the ArriveCAN app and providing proof of vaccination. The country previously had Covid-related restrictions since March 16th, 2020. The move leaves the United States as the only North American country requiring proof of vaccination for non-U.S. individuals at border crossings, a policy in place since January 22nd, 2022.

Community members gathered in San Clemente, California for a memorial cruise honoring the 13 members of the U.S. military killed in Afghanistan on August 26th, 2021. The bombing at the airport gate in Kabul last year left over 180 dead, including several American military personnel - 11 Marines, 1 Army Staff Sergeant and 1 Navy Corpsman. Saturday’s event was attended by family members of one of the Marines. The cruise made its way to Norco, California, the hometown of fallen Marine Corps Lance Cpl. Kareem Nikoui. A gathering was held there at the newly-dedicated ‘Fallen 13 Memorial’, attended by other members of Kareem’s unit (2nd Battalion, 1st Marine), who along with Gold Star mother Shana Chappell laid roses at an evening ceremony. A new plaque honoring the 13 was also unveiled during the event.

In the aftermath of the August 23rd police shooting of Jacob Blake, the city of Kenosha saw days of widespread protests, riots and civil unrest. Several buildings, including local businesses, apartments, and government offices were burned to the ground. Midtown Kenosha saw rampant looting of businesses, several of which did not return after the unrest subsided. Face-offs with police outside the courthouse occurred nightly. Police largely stayed in the area immediately surrounding the court and police station. With limited emergency services available elsewhere in the city, armed citizens began gathering at various businesses in Kenosha. Tensions came to a head on the night of August 25th, when the Kyle Rittenhouse shooting occurred mere blocks away from lines of police. A heavy police crackdown on curfew and assembly occurred in the days that followed, with arrests and citations issued as the city began to clean up from the riots. Protests largely subsided, only briefly returning to the courthouse during the subsequent trial of Kyle Rittenhouse in November 2021. The Kenosha County DA announced on January 5th, 2021 that no charges would be filed against the officer who shot Blake in August 2020.

The FBI has put up custom FBI-branded fencing around their headquarters at the J. Edgar Hoover Building in DC. The move comes as the agency says they’ve seen an increase in threats after executing a search warrant at Trump’s Mar-a-Lago home in Florida last week. The FBI and DHS sent out a Joint Intelligence Bulletin to law enforcement agencies around the country regarding the threats last week. The increased security at the headquarters is similar to measures implemented amidst the 2020 riots and civil unrest, as well as after the January 6th Capitol riot.

A toxic chemical release has lead to “Avoid contact” warnings along the Huron River in Michigan. Tribar Manufacturing, a chrome plating factory in Wixom, released thousands of gallons of liquid containing hexavalent chromium into the local sewer system. The sewer feeds into the Wixom Wastewater Treatment Plant, which then discharges into the Huron River. The company says they discovered the release of the carcinogenic chemical on Monday, but that it may have been releasing since Saturday morning. The “Avoid contact” warning along the river now stretches from North Wixom Road in Oakland County to Kensington Road in Livingston County. This includes Kent Lake, a popular recreational spot along the Huron. A handful of boats and paddleboarders were still out on the lake this evening. The Michigan Department of Environment, Great Lakes, and Energy put out a news release about the situation Tuesday afternoon. This notice was posted in Milford’s Central Park, which closed off access along the affected area of the river today.

A protester is arrested by MPD after blocking one of the entrances to Nationals Park at the Congressional Baseball Game. Climate activists planned a demonstration to shut down the game in calls for a declaration of a climate emergency. Three people were arrested for unlawful entry throughout the evening.

Businesses, apartments and other buildings boarded up in downtown Akron, where several days of protests have taken place over the Akron PD shooting death of Jayland Walker

Protesters gathered outside the Akron Police Department on Monday, the fifth consecutive day of protests over the police shooting death of Jayland Walker. Walker, 25 at the time, was killed after reportedly being shot by 8 Akron Police officers after fleeing a traffic stop in the early hours of June 27th. A press conference held Sunday to release bodycam footage stated that a firearm was found in Walker’s vehicle, though he was unarmed at the location where he was shot. The conference did not give an exact number of shots fired by Akron police, stating that the investigation is ongoing, though early reports indicate he was shot upwards of 60 times by the officers. Protesters have been gathering daily calling for justice for Jayland Walker, with demonstrations outside the police department downtown, the mayor’s residence, and elsewhere in Akron. Most demonstrations have been peaceful. Some property damage did occur on Sunday night, hours after the release of the bodycam footage, with windows smashed at a few downtown buildings and of highway maintenance vehicles that have been set up in the streets as roadblocks around the Justice Center. Teargas was deployed and 50 arrests made on Sunday night, promoting the mayor to declare a state of emergency and issue a 9 pm curfew Monday night. Demonstrations on Monday were peaceful throughout the day, with a march to the Mayor’s residence in the early afternoon, and speeches and chants outside the police station downtown in the evening. Police brought out armored vehicles behind the station, and officers inside dressed in riot gear. Protesters decided to disperse before the curfew, with the area emptied of all but press by 9 pm Monday night. Several police vehicles outside the blockaded areas were seen as curfew set in, though no reports have emerged so far of any arrests made in the downtown curfew-affected area.

Destruction left by the tornado that tore through Gaylord, Michigan on Friday, leaving at least two dead and over 40 injured. The Nottingham Forest mobile home park saw widespread destruction, while several businesses along Main Street and other residential areas also saw extensive damage. Community members and emergency crews started to the tackle the large number of downed trees and power lines throughout the town Saturday. Multiple area hospitals aided in treatment of the injured, and a variety of first responders have been on scene here this weekend. Governor Whitmer declared an emergency over the situation on Friday, and a dusk-to-dawn curfew is in place as the town begins responding to the damage caused by the rare northern Michigan tornado.

Severe tornado damage in Gaylord, Michigan, where at least one person has died and dozens were injured after a rare tornado tore through the town Friday afternoon. Much of the town is now without power, as emergency crews respond to downed power lines throughout the area. The city is now under an overnight curfew until 8 am Saturday, with police checkpoints set up in response to the situation.

Protesters gathered outside the San Francisco home of House Speaker Nancy Pelosi for a demonstration on Tuesday, criticizing her and Democratic Party leadership and calling for action on abortion rights.

Pro-life activists arrested outside DC Medical Examiner’s Office Seven pro-life activists were arrested by MPD on Thursday morning, after crossing a police line set up outside the Office of the Chief Medical Examiner in DC. The group, Progressive Anti-Abortion Uprising, has been protesting in DC this week in support of the potential upcoming Supreme Court overturning of Roe v Wade. Thursday's action was held outside the Office of the Chief Medical Examiner in DC, as activists call for an investigation into five fetuses they obtained last month, which they claim were aborted illegally. The fetuses are now in the office's possession. Seven arrests were made in total by the Metropolitan Police Department. A few remained giving speeches and chanting outside the office before the group dispersed. #protest #protests #RoevWade #abortion #antiabortion #prolife #antiabortions #abortions #Roe #arrest #arrests #arrested #MPD #DCpolice #police #policeofficers #MedicalExaminer #DC #WashingtonDC #DCprotest #DCprotests #protestnews #DobbsvJackson #SupremeCourt #usnews #news

A steel fence now surrounds the Supreme Court, installed Wednesday night amidst continued protests over the leaked SCOTUS decision that may overturn Roe v Wade. Shorter barricades were initially put up around the building Tuesday, before being replaced by this larger fence a day later. Concrete barricade reinforcements were also brought in Thursday afternoon. Protests over the Monday leak of a draft decision in the pending Dobbs v Jackson Women’s Health Organization have taken place daily around the country, as supporters and opponents of access to abortion demonstrate over the pending ruling.

*Please excuse the quality at times, encountered a few camera and setup issues* Donald Trump holds a rally for endorsed 2022 Michigan candidates, including Kristina Karamo (running for Secretary of State), Matt DePerno (running for Attorney General) and John Gibbs (running for U.S. House of Representatives in Michigan's 3rd Congressional District). Trump also voiced his support for gubernatorial candidate Tudor Dixon. The rally was held at the Michigan Stars Sports Center, an indoor soccer field and sports facility in Washington Township, roughly 30 miles north of Detroit.

Trump supporters lining up in the thousands in Washington Township, Michigan today, as the former president holds a rally for endorsed Michigan state office candidates. The rally is being held at Michigan Stars Sports Center, where Trump will be joined by Secretary of State candidate Kristina Karamo and Attorney General candidate Matt DePerno. Some in the crowd camped at the rally site overnight, with most arriving throughout the day Saturday. This marks the first Trump rally in Michigan since the final rally of the 2020 Election campaign in Grand Rapids on the night of November 2nd.