Thread by @LarryTenney

Since Donald Trump was elected, white supremacy, anti-semitism & homophobia have been on the rise and emboldened. And Huntington Beach, CA, is one of the nation's hotspots

Here's some HB history beginning in 2017 🧵⬇️

2017 - a White Supremacists' MAGA Rally at Bolsa Chica Beach attended by then-Congressman Dana Rohrabacher ends up in violence. White supremacists from outside HB are arrested. Same people involved in Charlottesville KKK rally

splcenter.org/hatewatch/2017…

2018 - Four Huntington Beach White Power leaders arrested latimes.com/socal/daily-pi…

2020 - White Nationalists break up a peaceful BLM March/George Floyd vigil in Huntington Beach. To get control, cops declared an unlawful assembly
cnn.com/2020/06/01/us/…

Easter 2021 - downtown Huntington Beach neighbors wake up to find hateful KKK/Neo-Nazi anti-Semitic flyers littering their sidewalks & porches
latimes.com/california/sto…

2021 - a White Lives Matter Rally is planned by white supremacists for the Huntington Beach Pier. A CA KKK Grand Dragon is in attendance. Counter protestors out number the white-supremacists. Scuffles break out. Arrests are made
ktla.com/news/local-new…

Between 2017 & 2021 - The OC Human Relations Commission reports that LGBTQ hate crimes in Orange County rose 2100%

https://twitter.com/larrytenney/status/1584565876044763136

2022 - Gracey VanDerMark, a failed school board candidate, is elected to the Huntington Beach City Council. She's an unabashed Holocaust denier & homophobe who has faced allegations of domestic violence

2022 - Gracey VanDerMark and a slate MAGA candidates for Huntington Beach City Council are backed & supported by "Pastor" Joe Pedick @CCOTHarbour. Pedick preaches conspiracies and homo/transphobia at his "church"
See 🧵

https://twitter.com/larrytenney/status/1476225836772696069

2023 - the new Huntington Beach City Council majorty -- a MAGA slate that includes Gracey VanDerMark -- reverses City policy and bans the Pride flag on city property
latimes.com/socal/daily-pi…

2023 - After the Huntington Beach City Council's Pride flag policy reversal, Blue Shield of California Foundation pulled a summer retreat it had planned at a #SurfCityUSA resort ocregister.com/2023/02/23/as-…

2023 - After the Huntington Beach City Council's Pride flag policy reversal, Vans the global surf/skate brand which had already pulled its sponsorship of one of #SurfCityUSA's largest annual events condemned the Pride flag ban!

2023 - Following the Huntington Beach City Council's reversal, LGBTQ activists hold rally at the pier and unfurl a giant Pride flag from the pier
latimes.com/socal/daily-pi…

2023 - at the start of Pride month, private residences in downtown Huntington Beach displaying Pride flags are vandalized. Arrest made
latimes.com/socal/daily-pi…

2023 - Orange County Board of Supervisors following the lead of their MAGA Huntington Beach City Council colleagues vote to ban the Pride flag at County properties lgbtqnation.com/2023/06/orange…

2023 - Controversy ensues at Edison High School -- fueled in part by Councilwoman Gracey VanDerMark -- surrounding a 1 minute Pride month video that was broadcast by student leaders as part of daily news. The video urged students to love one another. foxnews.com/media/californ…

2023 - days after the Edison High School Pride video controversy broke, homes near the school were blanketed with hateful homophobic anti-Semitic flyers like this