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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.
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.
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.
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.
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."
"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:
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.
