Video of NYC 'Drag March' parade stirs outrage

Publish date: 2024-07-28

A video shared on Twitter by a popular political podcast shows activists at New York City's annual drag queen parade chanting "we’re here, we’re queer, we’re coming for your children."

Named "The Drag March," the parade was held last Friday and kicked off NYC's "Pride Weekend," celebrating theanniversary of the 1969 Stonewall Riots, considered a landmark event in the history of gay rights.

Podcaster Tim Pool shared a videoof the event. Several outlets, including TheDailyMail.com and Newsweek, have reported the video is from NYC's Pride Weekend. People can be seen in the video walking through a park wearing colorful apparel. Some are apparently dressed in drag and others are topless.

Audio from the video clearly showcases members of the crowd chanting "we’re here, we’re queer, we’re coming for your children," which stirred significant backlash online.

**WARNING: The following embedded video contains content some may not find appropriate. Viewer discretion advised**

While some are questioning the validity of the video and Pool's claims, others, including some U.S. lawmakers, have shared the video and heavily criticized its contents.

This movement grooms minors to have mastectomies and castration and fuels a multi billion dollar medical child abuse industry," Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene, R-Ga.,saidon Twitter. "Pass the Protect Children’s Innocence Act. Let kids be kids."When people march down the streets yelling out that they’re going to come for my children, I’m inclined to believe them," Rep. Lauren Boebert, R-Colo., said on her Twitter account Monday. "Now, don’t get mad when we refer to you and anyone who doesn’t denounce this garbage as 'groomers.'"

Some online pushed back and questioned the validity of Tim Pool's video. A few claimed that the chant was purposely provocative and an example of sarcasm, while others claimed the audio was doctored.

Some claimed they could hear the chant was supposed to be"we’re here, we’re queer and we’re not going shopping," but some "plants" were shouting "coming for your children" at the end.

Others apparently saw the chant as some sort of tasteless or perhaps misguided attempt at a joke. Speaking with the New York Post, a mom who claims to have gone to the parade with her son said she didn't "think it was the right group or the right time to make a joke" like that.

Another person, who the New York Post calls a "longtime parade veteran" and a self-proclaimed "huge supporter" of drag, was more of the mind the chant was harmless and "all in good fun."

If you’re taking it like that, then that’s a you problem. Not an us problem,"Kelly Autorina reportedly told the New York Post.

Others reportedly felt that it wasn't their place to criticize the alleged parade chant.

I’m not gonna tell drag queens how to behave," a68-year-old New Jersey man told the New York Post. "Do I think it was a funny joke? Maybe not. But I’m not offended by it."I think it was not a smart choice, because the people who are from the conservative right, they’re just going to use any opportunity to besmirch," the 68-year-old reportedly admitted. "If you wanna go by statistics, most pedophiles are not drag queens.”

After being posted on Friday, Tim Pool's video has attained over 4.7 million views so far, according to Twitter analytics.

The NYC video was not the only piece of media to inflame outrage online this weekend when it comes to Pride Month-related events.

One videoposted early Monday morning claims to show a person tearing up a preacher's Bible during theSeattle Pride Parade. Journalist Jonathan Choe, who shared the video, asks if the action constituted a "hate crime." Many social media users who replied to Choe's tweet seemingly think it does.

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