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Members of the far-right "straight pride" movement had planned the protest outside a Planned Parenthood clinic in California.
Police used pepper ball guns to clear a clash between pro-choice and anti-choice activists outside a Planned Parenthood clinic in Modesto, Calif., on Saturday. Three people were arrested after counterprotesters descended on a "straight pride" event outside the clinic.
In one video posted by the director of the One People's Project, Daryle Lamont Jenkins, smoke grenades and glass bottles appear to have been thrown.
\u201cWe got shit going down at the opposition to the straight pride rally in Modesto, CA. Cops have just declared an unlawful assembly aftee the fash showed up.\u201d— Daryle Lamont Jenkins (@Daryle Lamont Jenkins) 1661625054
"We got shit going down at the opposition to the straight pride rally in Modesto, CA. Cops have just declared an unlawful assembly afte[r] the fash showed up," he wrote.
Modesto Police had warned on Facebook earlier in the day, shortly before 10 a.m. local time, that the department was aware of and prepared for possible clashes.
However, less than 90 minutes later, at 11:17 a.m. PDT, Modesto Police announced that officers had declared an unlawful assembly and that officials were dispersing the crowd.
After being detained, one person was released, while three others were arrested, The Guardian reports.
The police noted a large number of counterprotesters at the demonstration, even though they were unable to identify those arrested immediately.
As soon as the rally began at 11 a.m., clashes broke out between rival groups.
In 2021, members of Super Happy Fun America participated in the attempted overthrow of the federal government at the U.S. Capitol after having posted pictures of their journey to the Trump-endorsed event.
An image posted to Twitter by the group shows members aboard a bus on its way to Washington, D.C., along with at least one person wearing a Proud Boys shirt.
\u201cBus 1 of 11 coming to Washington DC. See you there!\u201d— SuperHappyFunAmerica (@SuperHappyFunAmerica) 1609897999
Super Happy Fun America's vice president, Mark Sahady, 46, and Suzanne Lanni, 59, were arrested for participating in the violent insurrection at the Capitol on January 6, 2021.
In 2019, the Straight Pride group tried to host a straight pride parade in Boston, but the event was widely criticized and drew large crowds of counterprotesters.
