Thread by @SamBraslow

At Wi Spa in K Town, where a counter protesters have gathered in support of trans access to the spa’s facilities. A protest is scheduled for 11 after a video went viral of a woman complaining of a trans woman in the spa. The story was featured on Tucker Carlson.

Multiple violent skirmishes have broken out, with activists pushing protesters away from the area and two violent assaults against counter-protests with a pipe that I witnessed.

Here’s footage of an independent journalist getting hit in the head with a pipe-like object.

Footage courtesy of a witness.

The journalist followed the assailant, who ran into a truck with others inside.

A woman who came to protest the spa gets surrounded and pushed out. She repeatedly says that she doesn’t want to see penises.

A group of people come with religious and homophobic signs. Activists grab a sign that says “Homo sex is a sin.” One of the protesters pushes an activist, leading to a full brawl.

The protester wearing an ‘obey Jesus’ shirt tells others that they are going to hell and to read the Bible.

A protester who seems to be with the religious group hits another person with a necklace with large beads and police arrest him

Police form a line between counter protesters and protesters, leading to some tense exchanges and minor physical confrontations between police and leftist counter protesters

Protesters chant “save our children,” a refrain associated with Qanon. I recognize a number of protesters from past Qanon rallies, though I know not all of them subscribe to the conspiracy. The “fuck pedowood” shirts also seem to reference similar conspiracies.

The protesters repeatedly say that “pedophile is not a sexual orientation.”

Worth noting that no one is defending or supporting pedophilia, but the protesters seem to be conflating trans rights with pedophilia.

A counter protester grabs the rainbow flag of one of the protesters, Mario Estrada, who himself is a member of the LGBTQ community and also an outspoken Trump supporter.

A protester takes multiple swings at counter protesters, missing the first time before a counter protester fights back. The two grapple on the ground before the fight is broken up.

Police declare an unlawful assembly and push counter protesters back behind a garbage fire. One officer fires a less lethal round at a counter protester.

Police repeatedly use batons to push back counter protesters and strike a man on the ground.

An LAPD officer tells counter protesters that they will not make arrests if they return to the sidewalk. Counter protesters largely comply and LAPD leaves.