LOS ANGELES (CNS) - About 200 people marched through downtown Los Angeles Tuesday opposing alleged "indoctrination," "sexualization" or "grooming" of children in schools, leading to an unlawful assembly declaration and at least two arrests of counter-protesters who had gathered in support of LGBTQ+ youth.
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The "parental rights" march was organized in a social media campaign under the Instagram moniker Leave Our Kids Alone. The group backs policies adopted by some Inland Empire school districts requiring schools to notify parents if their children identify as transgender or try to identify as a gender other than the one listed on their birth certificate.
The group was also involved in recent protests against Glendale Unified School District's motion to recognize Pride Month, as well as the reading of a book at North Hollywood's Saticoy Elementary which mentioned the existence of same-sex parents.
The Leave Our Kids Alone group assembled outside Los Angeles City Hall, then marched to Los Angeles Unified School District headquarters at Third Street and Beaudry Avenue, where some participants sat in the intersection, ultimately leading police to declare an unlawful assembly.
Meanwhile, members of the smaller counter protest, some of whom waved Pride flags, assembled nearby, prompting officers to set up skirmish lines to keep the groups separated. According to reports from the scene, police attempted to push the counter-protesters back, but two people allegedly resisted and were taken into custody.
Opponents of parental-notification policies say such requirements can put LGBTQ+ students at risk if their families are not accepting of their gender identity.
Organizers of Tuesday's counter-rally, including Ground Game LA and Queer Nation Los Angeles, accused Leave Our Kids Alone of "trying to bring their hate to Los Angeles City Hall," and of promoting a "hate-filled, fascist agenda of fear."
Some people in the Leave Our Kids Alone group waved American flags while others carried signs with slogans such as "Parental Rights Matter" and "Parental rights are non-negotiable." One held a sign reading "Teach the Bible, not porn."
State Attorney General Rob Bonta said earlier this month he was investigating if the Chino Valley Unified School District had violated civil rights of students by adopting a parental-notification law earlier this year. He also denounced a similar vote take this month by the Murrieta Valley School Board in Riverside County, calling the requirement "a forced outing policy."
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