Rome, GA – Today a group from the Etowah Republican Assembly led a protest against the City of Rome’s “Transqueer Pride” parade. They were joined with members from a local church and other concerned citizens. Police arrested four of them as they peacefully waived signs from the side-walk in view of the people participating in the parade.

This second annual event for the city features “trans” men dressed as women performing highly sexualized dances and other acts, although it was marketed as a “family-friendly” event that children were encouraged to attend. One witness reported a 4-year-old boy wearing a girl’s dress. The child’s parents encouraged him on to the stage with the drag queens where one drag queen grasped his hand and attempted to induce him to dance with him. The child seemed terrified and bolted from the stage. The protesters believe sexually provocative events like these should be restricted to adult entertainment and not be permitted in public or in the presence of children.

Another witness reported a male attendee wearing a skirt so short that part of his genitalia was exposed in view of the many children in the park. Last year’s “pride” event included bare-chested women and sex toys being sold at eye level of the children.

You can help us continue this fight for freedom of speech and protection of children by donating to the GRA. These patriots are going to need legal counsel and media support to ensure their story gets told.

“I understand a lot of people are scared of being called names like ‘transphobic,’ but there is a sexualization of children issue going on here,” said Melissa Smith, one of the protesters. “You can’t call something family friendly when it’s sponsored by sex shops. I don’t care about your lifestyle, I care about protecting children.”

“It’s time we wake people up. Someone at some point had to do something about it. Now they want to drag children with autism into it,” said Angela Rubino, one of the activists who was arrested, referencing a social media post from the group’s organizers that specifically targeted gender dysphoric people. A scientific link has been observed between people with autism who also suffer from “gender dysphoria” and that fact has made the autistic community a new target for trans groomers.

The four people arrested were charged with “unlawful assembly.” However, the protestors say that they were simply exercising their First Amendment-protected rights of freedom of speech and right to peaceably assemble. They were not hurting anyone, not inciting any riots, nor even speaking over the “trans”-performers who used amplification equipment. Peaceful counter protests are a common and accepted part of American life.

Brad Barnes, Angela Rubino, David Smith, and Melissa Smith were the four Etowah Republican Assembly members from the group who were arrested by police. They reported that the policemen seemed awkward and embarrassed about arresting them.

“They didn’t read us our Miranda rights or nothing!” said Angela Rubino.

Employees at the jail indicated they had never seen anyone arrested and booked for an ordinance violation. In most cases they should have simply received a ticket. They were released shortly thereafter on bail, but in addition to the charge, the four activists were issued a 72-hour ban from all the facilities owned by Floyd County Parks and Recreation. 

You can donate to help provide legal support to these persecuted patriots.

 “If you cannot use your rights, you don’t have them. And if you need to ask permission to use your rights, they’re not rights, they’re privileges,” said Barnes, President of the Etowah Republican Assembly. “For me it was the intersection of defending children from what is obviously inappropriate for anyone, and defending the Constitution.”

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