A march near downtown LA Tuesday Aug. 22, 2023.
Three people were arrested when rallies and marches involving two groups blocked streets Tuesday near downtown Los Angeles outside of Los Angeles Unified School District headquarters.
Billed as dueling rallies, a group in support of LGBTQ+ youth organized by Ground Game LA gathered in Gloria Molina Grand Park, and what organizers called a "parents rally" began at about the same time at Los Angeles City Hall. The parental-rights march was organized in a social media campaign under the Instagram moniker Leave Our Kids Alone, in opposition to what was referred to as "indoctrination," "sexualization" and "grooming" of children in schools.
Marchers blocked the intersection of Third Street and Beaudry Avenue, outside the LAUSD headquarters. The groups gathered on opposite sides of the street and officers formed protective lines between the two sides, police said.
After a dispersal order, some members of the crowd refused to leave the area, police said. Three protesters were arrested for failure to disperse, police said. All three were jailed on $5,000 bond.
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A Los Angeles Unified spokesperson issued a statement about the protest. Police also set up skirmish lines to separate the groups.
"Los Angeles Unified will never shy away from being an inclusive environment for all," a LAUSD spokesperson said in a statement. "Every student in the District deserves to be treated with dignity, respect and care and have their entire self celebrated and accepted. We will never abdicate our responsibility of providing a safe and welcoming environment for every student, family, employee or community member that walks through our doors.
"The District follows state laws and state approved curriculum that reflects and embraces the experiences and backgrounds of our diverse community. However, the District will always and unequivocally provide additional resources and support for every student, including those experiencing gender dysphoria and questioning their sexual orientation, and will respect whatever decision a student and their family determines."
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State Attorney General Rob Bonta said earlier this month he was investigating if the Chino Valley Unified School District had violated civil rights of students by adopting a parental-notification law earlier this year.
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