WeHo Pride festival arrest has left netizens fuming (Image via Getty Images)
A viral video taken at the WeHo Pride festival in Los Angeles on Saturday, June 3, 2023, showing police arresting LGBTQ activist Hunter Lee Darling a.k.a. Zodiac Rose is making its rounds on social media, leaving netizens enraged. The clip shows Darling's friend, Abby Nicole Thomas also getting arrested as they tried to help him.
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According to Twitter user Jordan David @jordandavidx, law enforcement officers were making fun of the booths, which upset the volunteers, who responded with:
"This is why we don't like cops at Pride."
This allegedly angered the police who arrested the three people at the WeHo Pride festival.
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Why was Zodiac Rose arrested at the WeHo Pride?
According to the arrest filed by the Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department (LASD), Zodiac Rose's arrest stemmed from a robbery incident that occurred on Wednesday, April 19, 2023, involving a stolen cellphone.
After identifying Rose as a suspect, an arrest warrant was issued on May 31, 2023.
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They booked 24-year-old Rose for robbery, vandalism, and battery, whereas Abby, 28, was booked for interfering and obstructing an arrest.
An eyewitness from the WeHo Pride festival stated that the police had plenty of opportunity to arrest Darling before, including at another protest rally held a day earlier that turned violent. She added that only after he asked the cops to stop making fun of their signs did they arrest the activist.
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As the story gained traction, footage taken during an April 15, 2023, Drag Queen Story Hour event at the West Hollywood library emerged online. It showed Rose angrily stomping on a phone. The video was shared by The Post Millennial @TPostMillennial with the caption:
"Protest outside West Hollywood Library on April 15 during which Zodiac Rose allegedly stole and stomped a cell phone."
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"Sad and infuriating": WeHo Pride festival arrest leaves netizens enraged
As news of Zodiac Rose and Abby Thomas's arrest at the WeHo Pride event spread, internet users were left outraged at the police and were quick to call out their violent behavior. Many remarked that police should be barred from Pride events and parades.
Here are some comments seen on Twitter reacting to user @TizzyEnt's posts:
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A comment reacting to the news (Image via Twitter/ @mycatslovemetoo)A comment reacting to the news (Image via Twitter/ @broadtrauma13)A comment reacting to the news (Image via Twitter/ @janine_ia)A comment reacting to the news (Image via Twitter/ @jayodea)A comment reacting to the news (Image via Twitter/ @ImACrystalLotus)A comment reacting to the news (Image via Twitter/ @HCLQueenGames)A comment reacting to the news (Image via Twitter/ @colonialcountr3)A comment reacting to the news (Image via Twitter/ @RemembersAlways)A comment reacting to the news (Image via Twitter/ @DLT4Pros)A comment reacting to the news (Image via Twitter/ @bidenaintlyin)A comment reacting to the news (Image via Twitter/ @Jasperdoodlw75)A comment reacting to the news (Image via Twitter/ @Jowtower81)
WeHo Pride is a yearly event celebrated by the city of West Hollywood in Los Angeles. This year, it kicked off on May 22 with Harvey Milk Day and will run through June.
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About the author
Nirali Sheth
Nirali has been a popular culture writer at Sportskeeda for the past 1.5 years, covering celebrity/influencer trends and profile/histories, political news, crime reports, and lifestyle. She completed her Bachelor's in Architecture from University of Mumbai and Masters in Heritage Conservation from University of Southern California. Professionally, Nirali has a strong 7.5-year experience working as an architect, an Assistant Archivist and a Digital Archivist across three companies.
Nirali’s educational qualifications and unique career trajectory put great emphasis on research and writing, which along with her personal interest in popular culture, led her to the current role at Sportskeeda. Her specialties are researching histories, crime stories, and developing general knowledge pieces.
The most crucial step in Nirali’s reporting is rigorous fact-checking, and she relies on information from primary sources only for her news. In the absence of a primary source, Nirali double, and even triple-checks information from multiple sources before presenting them to her readers. Strictly anti-AI, she believes in giving credits wherever necessary.
Nirali’s favorite celebrities are Mark Ruffalo and Dolly Parton, and she admires them for their support of humanity and advocacy for what is right. An avid reader, Nirali can be found nose-deep in a new book when she is away from her keyboard. Nirali also loves to illustrate in her free time.
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