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Education Jun 06, 2023
| Photo courtesy of Cecilie Johnsen/Unsplash
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At least three people were arrested Tuesday in a clash outside a Glendale Unified School District board meeting between supporters and opponents of the district’s policies in support of LGBTQ+ classroom curriculum.
Several hundred protesters gathered outside the Glendale Unified School District’s Administration Center, many waving American and LGBTQ+ Pride flags, according to Glendale Police Department Sgt. Victor Jackson.
The Glendale Police Department set up large barricades to assist with crowd control outside the building, KTLA reported.
Opponents of the board’s LGBTQ+ policies chanted, “Leave our kids alone” outside the meeting, while naming each of the five board members, the Los Angeles Times reported.
While most of the protest was peaceful, “a small group of individuals engaged in behavior deemed unsafe and a risk to public safety,” Jackson said.
“Despite police attempts to de-escalate the situation, at least three individuals were arrested for various charges, including unlawful use of pepper spray and willfully obstructing officers in the course of their duties,” Jackson said.
A dispersal order was given just after 6 p.m. and additional police resources were requested “to ensure the safety of the Glendale community would not be compromised,” Jackson said.
Police issued a shelter-in-place order to those inside the Administration Center, cutting short the public comment portion regarding the agenda item to declare June Pride Month in the district, according to the Times.
