Straight Pride marches in Boston demanding Donald Trump’s wall is built, and it did not go well More than 30 people were arrested after violent clashes at a Straight Pride march in Boston

A straight pride event with ties to far-right groups has gone ahead in Boston, leading to violent clashes between participants and counter-protesters.

Several hundred people turned up to take part in the controversial event in Boston on Saturday, but the activists taking part were outnumbered by around 1,000 counter-protesters.

The event was organised by activists associated with far-right group Resist Marxism. A large float at the head of the parade featuring the message: “Trump 2020, Build The Wall.”

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Organisers said the event was intended to celebrate straight people as “an oppressed majority,” and participants carried signs bearing the slogans “straight lives matter” and “make normalcy normal again.”

Despite denials from organisers that the event would be homophobic in nature, some participants were filmed shouting anti-gay slurs.

straight pride parade: “the straight pride parade is not a homophobic event!” also the straight pride parade: “I AM ANTI-GAY!” and screaming F*GGOT at queer people while wearing a “socialism is for f*gs” shirt pic.twitter.com/peevwJlabw — molly ? (@socialistdogmom) August 31, 2019

Violent clashes

Boston police officers in riot gear encircled the parade as it proceeded through the centre of Boston, attempting to avert confrontation between marchers and counter-protesters.

However, violent scuffles broke out between the two groups, and officers deployed batons and pepper spray to control the crowds.

There were 36 arrests and four police officers were injured, according to Boston police department.

Speeches by straight pride activists at the event were drowned out by chants from counter-protesters, who shouted “shame.”

Businesses along the parade route had largely shuttered for the event, though many opted to display rainbow flags and messages opposing the parade.

Trolling event

Massachusetts LGBT campaigners largely opted to ignore the spectacle, accusing organisers of “trolling” the LGBT community.

A lot of businesses along the #StraightPride route have rainbow flags out, or in the case of this building, signs saying "Go home alt-right scum." pic.twitter.com/EfWhrrVL29 — Zack Ford (@ZackFord) August 31, 2019

Boston Pride said in a statement: “It has become increasingly clear that the Straight Pride Parade is organised by a group of white supremacists and is an attempt to bait the Boston LGBTQ community, as well as racial and ethnic minority communities in Boston.

“It’s a trolling event, designed to get a rise out of vulnerable communities.

“Boston Pride is not interested in responding to their bait. Our strength comes from directing our attention and energy to helping one another meet the challenges of intersecting oppressions.”

However, groups including Black Lives Matter Cambridge led calls to “show up and numbers to change the narrative of the hatred.”

Democratic Congresswoman Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez noted that the participants in the parade were overwhelmingly male, tweeting: “For men who are allegedly so ‘proud’ of being straight, they seem to show real incompetence at attracting women to their event.

“Seems more like a ‘I-Struggle-With-Masculinity’ parade to me. ??‍♀️ Hope they grow enough over the next year to support / join LGBTQ fam next #Pride!”