Report back from recent community mobilization against the Proud Boys in defense of a church drag event in Portage, Michigan.

The day begin with cool Michigan sunshine. The type of day that comes around maybe twice a year when it is not swamp-ass hot or bitter cold. The kind of day that reminds you that it is, in fact, worth living in the upper Midwest. We tell ourselves this all the time. It is morel and trout season. It’s farmers markets, garden centers, and flower nurseries. The time of year you stop and talk with the people you, at best, gave only a passing wave to as you jumped into your freezing car only a few short weeks and months prior.

This also happens to be the time of year that the LGBTQ+ folks celebrate existence, the community that they nurture, and those who nurture them back. Except this year, it’s extra embattled because GOP fucknuts decided to put an even bigger target on the backs of gender non-conformists. Because of this, a few days ago, word started circulating throughout the community that the non-profit hosted family friendly drag event at a church the following Saturday, the 20th was receiving messages on social media from Proud Boys saying they would protest the event. Great. Those goobers again.

All told, only 10 of them showed while our side numbered about 40-50. Police were on the scene from the jump. So, too, was West Michigan’s iteration of a nationally syndicated ”local” news station, but they kept their distance. There was un-Christlike music in the parking lot, hugs, quick clacking of tactical mittens, flags, umbrellas, water, snacks, chanting, sharing terse words with the opposition, a far-Right YouTuber with his very cool selfie stick, and younger choads with full body Bud Light costumes. If you’re not up on the latest far-Right outrage over Bud Light partnering with a trans influencer and Kid Rock having a mantrum, go here.

An elderly church couple entering the venue were overheard, saying, “You see those flags!? Those are the anarchists and they’re here to help us!” An opposition sign said “Satan loves transgenders” or some such thing. To which, our side had folks embracing Satan and praising Them on high and promising unspeakable sexual acts with the dark lord. To which the church pastor took exception. And I found very. Very. Funny. We’re not without our tensions and contradictions.

…

On Friday May 12th, in the Inland Empire, (southern California, for those unfamiliar), local Proud Boys escalated their tactics significantly. The last several months they have been doing banner drops about once a month at freeway overpasses and have been thwarted by a rapid response network of local antifascists who quickly remove the banners. The banners usually feature transphobic messages, attacks against local community groups, and other messages of hate. The banners always feature stencils of Proud Boy logos. The banner drops seem to correspond with events they intend to participate in or harass, like school board meetings, fascist rallies, and drag queen story times.

On May 12th they attempted to lay a trap. They put a banner up on a billboard slightly off the beaten path near an abandoned house, visible from a freeway in Colton, CA. They have done this once before, but this time they had lookouts and several members masked up and hiding near the banner waiting for antifascists to come and remove it.

Antifascists ran up and removed the banner once the lookout, IDed as local Proud Boy Louie Flores waiting in a white Hyundai Tucson license plate 8XRR563, left in his car to do a lap. Shortly after the antifascists drove off with the banner, multiple black clad, presumably Proud Boys, emerged from hiding behind the billboard, possibly in the abandoned house or surrounding brush. They were seen getting into Louie’s car when he returned and then drove off.

On Friday May 12th, in the Inland Empire, (southern California, for those unfamiliar), local Proud Boys escalated their tactics significantly. The last several months they have been doing banner drops about once a month at freeway overpasses and have been thwarted by a rapid response network of local antifascists who quickly remove the banners. The banners usually feature transphobic messages, attacks against local community groups, and other messages of hate. The banners always feature stencils of Proud Boy logos. The banner drops seem to correspond with events they intend to participate in or harass, like school board meetings, fascist rallies, and drag queen story times.

On May 12th they attempted to lay a trap. They put a banner up on a billboard slightly off the beaten path near an abandoned house, visible from a freeway in Colton, CA. They have done this once before, but this time they had lookouts and several members masked up and hiding near the banner waiting for antifascists to come and remove it.

Antifascists ran up and removed the banner once the lookout, IDed as local Proud Boy Louie Flores waiting in a white Hyundai Tucson license plate 8XRR563, left in his car to do a lap. Shortly after the antifascists drove off with the banner, multiple black clad, presumably Proud Boys, emerged from hiding behind the billboard, possibly in the abandoned house or surrounding brush. They were seen getting into Louie’s car when he returned and then drove off.

It is unclear what they planned to do, or why they did not take action. It is possible that their lookout abandoning his post briefly once he’d been spotted meant they were not alerted about people approaching to remove the banner. It is possible that they were expecting a local antifascist mom who bullies them on TikTok to be the person who removed the banner, and when different people arrived, they abandoned their plan.

What is certain is that this is an escalation from their usual patterns, and someone could have been surrounded and seriously hurt had the situation happened differently. Luckily in addition to the brave folks who ran up the hill to grab the banner, several other antifascists were also present nearby watching and filming. The decision to wait for backup before moving on the banner was a smart one, and no one from the antifascist crew was confronted or attacked.

Two additional banners were also dropped at nearby freeway overpasses and were removed without incident.

This is a reminder to use the buddy system, carry deterrents like pepper spray, and work together when taking risky actions.

Solidarity forever.