Clashes and Arrests at Pro-Trans Counter-Protest to ‘Let Women Speak’ Event in NYC

Melee and several arrests in NYC Monday afternoon as trans rights activists counter-protested a ‘Let Women Speak’ event being held outside City Hall.

The ‘Let Women Speak’ tour, organized by British women’s rights activist Kellie-Jay Keen, drew controversy and frequent protests as it made its way across the U.S. this past month, with speeches critical of transgender women competing in women’s sports, gender ideology, puberty blockers and transgender surgeries for minors, and other issues that have been heated topics of debate this year.

The ‘Let Women Speak’ demonstrators have voiced concerns that biological women are being ‘erased’ in the present environment. Counter-protesters have characterized the speakers as transphobic, and frequently describe speakers as ‘TERFs’, standing for ‘trans-exclusionary radical feminists’.

Monday’s demonstration did not feature an appearance from Keen herself, after what she claims were police safety concerns for the New York event, the final slated stop on the U.S. tour. Other demonstrators, roughly a couple dozen in number, did assemble amidst a heavy police presence outside City Hall.

Clashes began before the event’s scheduled 1 pm start time, with several dozen pro-trans counter-protesters assembling next to the speakers. Police attempted to separate the two groups, counter-protesters kicked and pushed against the barricades, leading to several melees with officers as they attempted to control the approaching crowd.

At least 7 counter-protesters were arrested, and additional police officers continually arrived throughout the afternoon, boosting their numbers up to roughly 100 NYPD surrounding the event.

The ‘Let Women Speak’ demonstrators held their event behind barricades, lines of NYPD officers and private security. The event lasted a little under two hours before the group was escorted to a nearby parking garage to depart. One counter-protester spit multiple times towards the LWS demonstrators, one of whom deployed pepper spray in response. Counter-protesters followed the group to the parking garage, noting license plate numbers as the demonstrators departed from behind lines of police separating the two groups.